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By Chinwendu Obienyi
Lagos state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have all renewed calls for more gender focused initiatives that will create mainstreaming increased opportunities in leadership, employment and entrepreneurship in the private sector.
They made these call during the inaugural edition of the Gender Leader Awards (GLA) which held in Lagos on Thursday. Implemented under the Nigeria2Equal (N2E) programme, the GLA is designed to recognise and celebrate private sector companies leading the way in gender equality performance. The physical/virtual event brought together captains of industry, capital market regulators, policymakers, and investors among others.
Delivering his keynote address, Sanwo-Olu, while commending the IFC and NGX, said the programme was transforming the landscape for gender equality across the nation. He noted that no nation can achieve its full potential without harnessing the full opportunity the women present.
According to him, “Gender equality is not only a normal imperative, but also an economic necessity, as it is essential for sustainable development and the overall prosperity of our nation. Therefore, I am proud to say that Lagos state is at the forefront of these efforts and we are dedicated to promoting initiatives and empowerment of women and girls and providing equal opportunities for all. We know that women face challenges but when they do, they face it squarely and we have seen it that with women in the picture, things move faster, we get value and we see quicker and better results.
He thereafter commended the companies who participated and made commitments and collectively employed over 40,000 individuals while reassuring that his administration is willing to partner with more organisations that focu on promoting interest in women and girl child in our society and the country at large.
“Your unwavering dedication to reducing gender gaps and fostering a more equitable workplace serves as an inspiration for us all. As you celebrate your accomplishment, let us keep instilling beliefs around gender diversity and we must continue to challenge the status quo, break down barriers and ensure that men and women alike have equal opportunity to contribute to the growth and prosperity of our nation”, Sanwo-Olu said.
Earlier in her opening remark, the Regional Director, Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, Dahlia Khalifa, citing a World Bank report, said the global economy suffers a staggering loss of $172 trillion and that is due to the disparities in lifetime earnings between women and men, a loss that all economies are suffering.
“When there is an ecosystem that provides equal opportunities for women and men, more women thrive and that they can contribute more meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic growth. Increasing women’s participation in leadership positions can foster diversity”, Khalifa said.
Corroborating Khalifa, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola, said that as a leading multi-asset exchange catalysing Africa’s sustainable development, NGX’s commitment to business practices that support diversity and inclusion is resolute.
