The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has reaffirmed the central bank’s commitment to advancing women’s financial inclusion and leadership development as a cornerstone of the nation’s economic growth strategy.
Delivering a goodwill message on his behalf at the 2025 WIMBIZ Women on Boards Mentoring Graduation in Lagos on Saturday, the Director of Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion, Dr Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, emphasised that inclusive finance and gender-balanced leadership are critical to building a resilient, innovative, and sustainable economy, in line with Nigeria’s ambition to achieve a $1tn GDP by 2030.
WIMBoard is a board-readiness development initiative of the Women in Management and Business and Public Service designed to increase gender diversity on Nigerian corporate boards. The WIMBoard Mentoring Programme helps women on boards/women who aspire to sit on boards gain access to the critical experiential knowledge and resources required. The programme, which is in its sixth cohort, is themed ‘Make Impact, Build Legacy’. This year’s cohort consisted of 198 mentees, who were mentored by 118 mentors.
Cardoso said, “At CBN, we give women’s inclusivity very important attention and interest. The theme, “Make an Impact, Build Legacy”, resonates profoundly with sustainable development goals, national objectives, and inclusive initiatives undertaken by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Impact represents the effect of our actions in the present. Legacy reflects the enduring influence we leave for future generations. When impact matches intent, it influences both personal careers and the country’s future path. Let me commend WIMBIZ for inspiring and empowering women in leadership across the public and private sectors. Your programmes build a global network of accomplished women and advance influence in finance, governance, and beyond.
“To the graduates, this is a pivotal moment. You have been diligently prepared, mentored, and grounded in leadership principles. The theme is also a call to action: your actions have the power to shape both the present and future. The CBN is honoured to celebrate not only the graduates’ achievements but also a vision for more diverse, inclusive, and impactful leadership in Nigeria. Women constitute almost 50 per cent of the global population, and their increased participation drives growth. Studies show organisations with gender-diverse leadership perform better, innovate more, and build resilience.”
He added that the CBN provides an enabling environment for women to thrive through leadership development, mentorship, diversity policies, and work-life balance. Recent director-level appointments reflect a culture of meritocracy and inclusivity.
The CBN Governor highlighted data from the latest Global Findex, which indicated that 77 per cent of women now own accounts, just four per cent behind men.
“The CBN aligns with Nigeria’s Sustainable Banking Principles to build a resilient, inclusive financial system, aiming for a $1tn economy by 2030. We have launched a national coalition of over 90 institutions to improve women’s access to finance, support WMSMEs, and build a women-based network for inclusion. To the graduates: the world needs your voice, vision, and values. Lead with confidence, mentor generously, and pass the torch forward. To the private sector and partners: let us collaborate to make inclusion a standard, not just an aspiration. To society: support women not just in their ascent, but in leadership,” he concluded.
The Chief Mentor for the cohort and Managing Director of Exima Realty, Hakeem Ogunniran, in his keynote address, charged the graduates of the programme to give a thought to their legacy and what they would like to be remembered for.
“So, when you want to embark on a legacy journey, or when you have the opportunity to embrace your journey, there are some questions you must ask yourself. What do you want to be remembered for? What impact do you want to have on the world? What values will guide your actions? “What specific actions do you have to take to achieve your objective?” he asked.
The Chair of the WIMBIZ Board of Trustees, Bisi Adeyemi, challenged the board-ready women to promote themselves, saying, “As you have been advised, please put out words that you are board-ready and available to serve on the board, so don’t be shy. Put the word out. Share your board-ready CVs, and when you cannot take up an opportunity because you’re conflicted for whatever reason, please recommend another woman.”
The Chair of the 2025 WIMBoard Committee, Hilda Nkor, disclosed that this was the first in-person graduation of the WIMBoard Mentoring Programme.
Addressing the graduating students, Nkor said, “This year’s graduating class, all 198 of you, stepped into this programme with a willingness to grow, to be challenged and to be equipped. Over the past three months, you have attended sessions, completed assignments, asked challenging questions and accepted constructive feedback. You have invested in yourselves. You work with more clarity, more courage and more capability. You are not just prepared for the boardroom; you’re prepared to transform it.”
