President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emphasised that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable growth without placing women at the centre of national planning.
He made this declaration at the launch of the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), a $540 million initiative co-financed by the World Bank, Federal Government, and state governments, aimed at empowering 25 million Nigerian women. The event was held in Abuja.
Represented by Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, the President said nations that sideline women undermine their own development prospects.
The declaration follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed during his January official visit to Turkey, focused on strengthening family cohesion and social welfare systems.
“A nation that relegates its women is a nation bound for implosion. We have long understood this truth. That is why this administration has not only placed women at the forefront of decision-making but has also entrusted them with leadership in causes that redeem our national promise. Today stands as proof of that commitment, and I am proud to be part of this journey,” he said.
Tinubu observed that women remain central to family stability, community resilience, and national productivity, describing them as authors of Nigeria’s development story.
He stated that the administration has set a “bold but achievable” target to reach 25 million women through the programme, while calling on the World Bank to deepen financing, technical support, and innovation partnerships for the scale-up.
According to him, digital inclusion is now foundational to effective service delivery and national competitiveness.
The President commended the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for integrating technology into policy implementation and reorganising social development systems since the launch of the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention in Lafia last year.
He also praised state governors and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for aligning federal vision with state-level execution, noting that national transformation succeeds when all tiers of government work in sync.
Earlier, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said the launch signified a major policy shift under the Tinubu administration, where women are no longer viewed as peripheral beneficiaries but as central drivers of economic growth, social cohesion, and democratic stability.
She described the scale-up of the Nigeria for Women Project as one of the most ambitious expansions of social and economic empowerment in the country’s history.
The Minister noted that Phase One of the project successfully addressed harmful social norms and strengthened women’s socio-economic resilience, delivering clear evidence of the transformative power of women’s empowerment.
She also announced the launch of Nigeria’s Third National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, placing Nigeria among a select group of countries to attain the milestone.
World Bank Regional Representative for Africa, Mr Robert Chase, said the project was designed by the Bank’s Social Policy Department to place women at the centre of development, stressing that investing in women remains the most impactful investment any nation can make.
Similarly, Director of the Nigeria Country Office of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Uche Amaonwu, noted that empowering women leads to healthier families and safer communities, significantly reducing disease and insecurity at the household level.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, expressed his ministry’s readiness to collaborate on initiatives that empower women nationwide.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represented Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the scale-up reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing women’s needs. She assured that the National Assembly would continue to enact legislation to expand women’s access to governance and economic resources.
In a goodwill message, Katsina State Deputy Governor, Malam Faruk Lawal, representing the state governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, reaffirmed states’ commitment to counterpart funding for women-focused initiatives.
He disclosed that Katsina State has earmarked ₦4 billion in its current budget to support the project.
