The Federal Government, alongside Access Bank Plc, is pushing a stronger agenda to empower women as key drivers of Nigeria’s creative economy, with renewed focus on funding, skills development and leadership opportunities.
This direction was reinforced in Lagos during the International Women’s Day Conference organised by Access Bank Plc, where policymakers, financial leaders and development advocates aligned on a shared goal — closing the gender gap in opportunity and unlocking women’s economic potential.
Speaking at the event, Hannatu Musawa outlined the Federal Government’s evolving strategy to position women at the centre of the country’s growing creative sector. Represented by the Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, Mrs Aisha Adamu, she emphasised that women are no longer peripheral contributors but central actors in shaping industries and driving innovation.
“Across Nigeria, women have always been the invisible architects of our culture, yet their contributions have been underrepresented and undervalued,” she said.
The government’s approach is increasingly structured, moving beyond rhetoric into targeted interventions. According to Musawa, the ministry is repositioning culture as a formal economic sector, supported by creative hubs, enterprise programmes and skill-building initiatives tailored to women operating in film, fashion, digital media and tourism.
She identified culture, capital and courage as the three pillars influencing women’s participation in national development, noting that while culture defines identity, it also holds untapped economic value that women are uniquely positioned to harness.
A critical part of this renewed agenda is access to finance. Despite women owning about 40 per cent of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria, they continue to face significant barriers in accessing capital.
“Too many ideas remain small not because they lack potential, but because they lack access to capital,” Musawa stated.
To address this, the Federal Government is working to unlock targeted funding channels, improve market access and strengthen data systems that support women entrepreneurs. It is also pushing for greater inclusion of women in leadership and policy-making spaces, ensuring that economic decisions reflect diverse perspectives.
This policy direction aligns closely with ongoing efforts by Access Bank Plc, which has positioned itself as a key private sector partner in advancing women’s economic empowerment.
Chairman of the bank, Ifeyinwa Osime, stressed that investing in women should be treated as a deliberate economic strategy rather than an act of charity.
“When we speak of giving, it is about expanding access to finance, markets, knowledge and platforms that enable women to build sustainable businesses,” she said.
Osime highlighted that women own about 39 per cent of businesses in Nigeria and contribute significantly to new enterprise creation, yet remain constrained by a persistent financing gap that limits productivity and growth.
“No economy can optimise its potential while underinvesting in half of its population,” she added.
Through initiatives such as the W Initiative and the Womenpreneur Pitch-a-ton programme, Access Bank Plc has provided financing, training and healthcare support to thousands of women, creating a model that blends financial inclusion with capacity building.
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, reinforced the importance of intentional inclusion, noting that sustainable development depends on prioritising women’s participation across sectors.
“There is no other way societies have transformed than when people who care make an issue a priority,” she said.
Ezekwesili pointed out that structural barriers, particularly in access to finance and productive resources, continue to confine many women to low-output economic activities. She noted that addressing these gaps could unlock significant gains, including up to a 30 per cent increase in agricultural productivity if women had equal access to inputs as men.
She also commended Access Bank Plc for its role in supporting women through financing, training, technology and market access, describing such interventions as essential for scaling women-led enterprises.
At the operational level, the bank continues to expand its reach across different segments. According to Mrs Nene Kunle-Ogunlusi, Group Head of Women Banking, recent initiatives include targeted outreach programmes such as a Women’s Day event in Oyingbo, Lagos, where market women received free health checks, financial education and business support services.
The convergence of government policy and private sector investment signals a more coordinated approach to women’s empowerment in Nigeria — one that recognises women not just as beneficiaries, but as drivers of economic transformation across the creative economy and beyond.
