The Federal Government yesterday identified four critical dimensions of challenges confronting Nigerian women.

The Minister of Women’s Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim listed them as legal and policy framework, economic empowerment, gender-based violence and social norms, political representation, and leadership. She said this this at a news conference to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) in Abuja.

The minister said: “There are four dimensions to the issues that continue to confront us. “The legal and policy frame – work. While Nigeria has made significant progress in enacting gender-responsive laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act, full implementation remains a challenge.”

According to her, 35 states have domesticated the VAPP Act, while 34 states have adopted the Child Rights Act. Sulaiman-Ibrahim said: “It’s a step in the right direction but not yet enough.

“We need full compliance, effective enforcement, and account ability to ensure that the rights enshrined in these laws are a lived reality for every Nigerian woman and girl.

“Second is economic empowerment. Women drive Nigeria’s informal economy, owning 41 per cent of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

“However, access to finance, markets, and digital literacy remains a barrier to scaling their businesses. “More than 94 per cent of women still lack access to formal credit despite their proven ability to reinvest in their families and communities.

“We must close the gender financing gap, expand opportunities in trade, technology, and digital skills, and provide structured support for women entrepreneurs.

“Under the Nigeria for Women Project Scale Up project, which we just commenced, we will be reaching a minimum of 4.5 mil – lion women nationwide to bridge the gap.”