The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women’s economic participation, stating that Nigeria is making measurable progress in implementing the National Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy, with early adoption already underway at the state level.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, disclosed this during a high-level WEE Mid-Point Review and Partnership Convening held in Abuja in collaboration with the Albright Stonebridge Group. She said four states—Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Kwara—have domesticated the policy, positioning them as frontrunners in translating national commitments into grassroots impact.
According to the minister, more than two-thirds of states have also signalled readiness to adopt the framework, a development she described as critical to expanding economic opportunities for women nationwide. “The WEE Policy is designed to reposition women as key drivers of national growth, productivity and competitiveness,” she said, noting that women make up a significant portion of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce and small business sector.
She highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional coordination, including the establishment of a Presidential High-Level Advisory Council to align public, private and development financing toward impactful interventions targeting women and girls. Sulaiman-Ibrahim added that flagship programmes such as EmpowerHer, WAVE 774 and DigitalHer are already serving as implementation vehicles to scale inclusion, enhance productivity and build resilience among women.
The minister further pointed to the declaration of 2026 as the Year of Families and Social Development as evidence of the government’s recognition of the link between women’s economic empowerment and broader national development outcomes. She also noted that policies such as the Affirmative Procurement Policy are leveraging public spending to create opportunities for women-owned businesses.
On the fiscal side, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, represented by the Minister of State, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the government is taking steps to integrate the WEE Policy into national planning and budgeting systems. He emphasised that women’s economic empowerment is not merely a social objective but a central pillar of Nigeria’s economic strategy.
Bagudu noted that persistent gender gaps in access to finance, markets and productive assets continue to constrain national productivity. He said Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are being required to demonstrate how budget allocations directly impact women, as part of efforts to institutionalise gender-responsive planning.
“We are shifting toward outcome-driven budgeting, where public expenditure is assessed based on measurable impact, including gender-disaggregated results,” he said, signalling a move away from traditional input-based budgeting models toward performance-focused spending.
He added that the government is strengthening partnerships with institutions such as the Bank of Industry and international platforms to mobilise financing and expand access to capital for women-led enterprises.
Also speaking, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Beatrice Eyong, represented by Programme Manager Osalobo Osemhenjie, acknowledged the progress recorded but cautioned that structural barriers still limit women’s full economic participation.
She identified key challenges including limited access to finance, the burden of unpaid care work and persistent data gaps, stressing the need for coordinated interventions. “UN Women remains committed to supporting Nigeria through policy implementation, financing frameworks and strategic partnerships to ensure that the WEE Policy delivers real impact,” she said.
The WEE Mid-Point Review is aimed at assessing implementation progress, consolidating gains and strengthening coordination among stakeholders. The policy framework seeks to expand inclusive economic opportunities while positioning women as critical drivers of national growth, productivity and competitiveness.
