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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, has appealed to the executive, legislature and public institutions to take deliberate action towards empowering women, warning that Nigeria risks slowing its attainment of development goals if women remain excluded from leadership and governance opportunities.
Speaking at the 2026 Young Women’s Leadership Conference (YWLC) in Abuja, she said inclusion of women in national development should no longer be viewed as a symbolic gesture but as a strategic necessity for economic growth, innovation and effective governance.
She stressed that the legislature and public institutions have a critical responsibility to strengthen laws and accountability systems that expand opportunities for women, noting that legal frameworks are meaningless without implementation.
She said government institutions must move beyond rhetoric by embedding inclusion into policies, budgeting and programme implementation, particularly in areas affecting young women.
According to her, deliberate investments in safer schools and communities, stronger enforcement of protection policies, access to enterprise support and skills acquisition, as well as clearer pathways to governance, are essential to unlocking the country’s full potential.
“Nigeria’s development aspirations cannot be achieved unless the executive, legislature and public institutions deliberately create opportunities for the empowerment, inclusion and leadership advancement of women.”
She also criticised discriminatory practices against women in some public institutions, including policies requiring female public servants to obtain spousal consent before accessing official housing and the denial of maternity leave to unmarried women.
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“A nation that relies on its women being able to endure more than it enables them to lead is wasting capacity,” she added.
The conference, themed, “Innovate, Influence, Impact: Accelerating Young Women’s Roles in National Development,” was organised by the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre led by its Director-General, Rinsola Abiola, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Eagles Foundation for Humanity, the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Sapphital, the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Nigeria chapter, and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
In her remarks, Abiola said the initiative reflects the commitment of the administration of Bola Tinubu to youth and women empowerment.
She revealed that over 1,500 young women have benefited from mentorship, leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities since the programme began in 2024.
Abiola added that 20 participants from the 2025 edition received business and leadership training alongside grants of N500,000 each, which helped beneficiaries expand their businesses and create jobs.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urged women to prioritise competence, professionalism and hard work, while participating actively in politics and public service.
The event featured panel discussions, involving women in governance, business and technology and concluded with the signing of a partnership agreement between the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre and the African Women Leaders Network to promote mentorship and leadership development for young women across the country.
