The Federal Government and the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) have urged Nigerian women to actively invest and participate in the stock market, warning that their low level of involvement is limiting economic growth and slowing Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy.
Speaking at a closing gong ceremony in Lagos, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stressed that women must move beyond being passive contributors in the economy to becoming active investors in the capital market. She noted that despite their strong role in business and productivity, many women remain excluded from formal investment platforms.
“As we ring this closing gong today, we must ask ourselves the most critical economic question of our time: are we building an economy that truly includes Nigerian women?” she said.
The minister explained that women’s participation in the stock market is not just about fairness, but a key driver of national growth. According to her, leaving women out of investment opportunities weakens the economy and reduces the country’s chances of hitting its long-term targets.
“Keeping women on the sidelines is not just a social injustice, it is a massive economic oversight,” she added.
She linked greater female participation in the capital market directly to President Bola Tinubu’s $1 trillion economy goal, stressing that such an ambition cannot be achieved without full inclusion. “Achieving this target will require the contribution of both men and women,” she said.
To support this push, the government is expanding financial access through initiatives like the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774, which is designed to reach women in all local government areas. The ministry is also working with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to improve financial literacy and help women understand how the stock market works.
“We are calling on Nigerian women to get empowered, and the route to empowerment is through the Nigerian capital market,” she said.
Also speaking, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama highlighted that women remain underrepresented among investors, despite their large share of the population. He stressed the need for deliberate action to change this trend.
“Behind every successful market are women. For Nigeria’s capital market to reach its full potential, we must be intentional about empowering women as active participants,” he said.
NGX Group Chairman Umaru Kwairanga also emphasised that the capital market offers strong opportunities for wealth creation, especially for women-led businesses and investors seeking long-term financial growth.
