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By Chukwuma Umeorah
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy (FMACTCE), Hannatu Musawa, has called for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to bridge the gender gap in economic opportunities, particularly in access to capital for women entrepreneurs.
Musawa made this remark during the ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ ceremony at the floor of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) in Lagos on Friday to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration. The event is a global initiative promoted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), UN Global Compact, UN SSEI, UN Women, and the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).
The Minister noted that women continued to face financial barriers that limit their economic potential, despite their significant contributions to national development. According to her, “Building a gender-equal future requires collaboration between the public and private sectors. We must move beyond conversations and take decisive and meaningful actions to bridge the gender gap in society,” she stated.
Musawa cited a report by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), which revealed that women-owned businesses contribute $15 billion to Nigeria’s economy. However, she lamented that many women struggle to access funding for their enterprises, which has restricted their growth and economic impact. “We must increase gender-lens investing and create funding opportunities specifically tailored for women entrepreneurs. Our focus should be on building a sustainable future where women are empowered to lead, innovate, and thrive,” she added.
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Musawa commended the NGX for its efforts in leveraging the capital market to channel resources into women-led businesses and gender-focused initiatives, stressing that strategic investment in women would yield broader economic benefits.
Similarly, the Chairman of NGX Group, Umaru Kwairanga, stated that the Exchange is structured in a way that allows equitable access to capital regardless of gender. He, however, reiterated that achieving equality required deliberate and bold actions by the private sector, government, regulators, and society at large.
“When we accelerate progress for women, we accelerate progress for all. An inclusive economy is a thriving economy, and empowering women is a catalyst for societal transformation,” Kwairanga said. This was even as he noted that the NGX remained committed to increasing women’s participation in the Nigerian capital market through targeted education programmes and mechanisms for tracking gender impact via aggregated data collection and analysis.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Entrepreneurial Development, Chalya Shagaya, noted that, beyond the efforts by the NGX, the government had an important role to play. She advocated for deeper collaboration between the NGX and the government to expand investment opportunities for women, stressing that “targeted financial inclusion policies would further strengthen economic empowerment for women entrepreneurs.”
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotimi Agama, shared personal insights on the influence of women in shaping values and called on men to respect, honour, and support them. “We must acknowledge the resilience, hard work, and resourcefulness of women. It is our duty to create an environment where they can thrive without limitations. We must push for policies that encourage female representation in leadership and governance. This is a collective responsibility,” he urged.
