Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs has praised the administration of Bola Tinubu for giving strong political support to initiatives aimed at advancing women’s empowerment and social development.
The minister, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, made the remarks at Nigeria House in New York during a dinner organised for the country’s delegation attending the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
According to her, the current administration has placed significant priority on programmes that promote the participation and advancement of women in different sectors.
She noted that support from the president and other leaders has helped strengthen initiatives focused on women’s empowerment, adding that such backing indicates that efforts in the sector are gaining recognition.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim encouraged women to adopt more strategic approaches and maintain unity in their advocacy.
She stressed that collaboration and collective action among women would play a key role in achieving greater progress in the future.
The minister also called for renewed momentum within the women’s movement in Nigeria, urging women to support and uplift one another to achieve stronger representation and influence.
In his welcome address, Syndoph Endoni, Chargé d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, described the global meeting as a platform focused on protecting the dignity, rights and opportunities of women and girls.
Endoni explained that the government’s development blueprint places emphasis on inclusive growth, social protection and broader opportunities for citizens.
He added that empowering women economically remains central to the country’s long-term development goals, including its ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
According to him, national social protection programmes have so far reached about 10 million households, with women accounting for more than 70 per cent of the beneficiaries.
Also speaking, Kafilat Ogbara, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, expressed concern over the low representation of women in Nigeria’s parliament.
She noted that women currently occupy less than four per cent of legislative seats and said efforts were ongoing to improve the situation.
Ogbara explained that the 10th House of Representatives was considering an affirmative action bill that would reserve additional seats for women in the legislature.
She expressed optimism that the proposed legislation would be passed in time to influence future elections.
Among those present at the event were former Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen and Temitope Adeyeye-Ogunwusi, alongside wives of ministers, state commissioners for women affairs, civil society organisations and members of a delegation from Serbia.