Key points
• Stakeholders call for deliberate policies and action to advance gender equity and women’s leadership
• Lagos State government highlights economic and political gaps limiting women’s participation
• Speakers stress that empowering women is essential for national development and societal progress
Main story
Stakeholders across government, business and civil society have called for stronger policies, deliberate action and sustained advocacy to advance women’s rights and economic empowerment in Nigeria.
The call was made during the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration organised by the NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women, in partnership with Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association and the International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria.
The event, themed “Give to Gain: Rights, Justice, Action for All Women and Girls,” brought together policymakers, business leaders, students and entrepreneurs to discuss strategies for promoting gender equity, expanding economic opportunities for women and strengthening inclusive leadership.
Delivering the welcome address, the Chairman of International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria, Dr. Raymond Ihyembe, said women have made remarkable progress globally despite centuries of systemic exclusion from leadership and education.
He noted that historically, women were denied basic rights, including access to education and voting privileges in many countries.
He added that women have since proven their capacity across various sectors and continue to excel in leadership, education and professional fields.
Ihyembe also warned that Nigeria’s development challenges including corruption, insecurity and institutional weakness – require stronger participation of women in governance and nation-building.
In her keynote remarks, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, emphasised that achieving gender equality requires intentional policies that address structural inequalities affecting women.
She explained that equality alone is insufficient if women start from disadvantaged positions in society.
Ambrose-Medebem cited low political representation as a major challenge facing Nigerian women, noting that women occupy only a small percentage of legislative seats despite their significant population.
She also stressed that empowering women has economic benefits, noting that global productivity losses linked to gender inequality are estimated to cost trillions of dollars annually.
The commissioner further highlighted initiatives by the Lagos State government aimed at improving women’s economic inclusion, including access to finance for female entrepreneurs through targeted loan programmes.
Earlier in her address, the President of the NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Adefunke Kuyoro, whose speech was delivered by Vice President Bolanle Edwards, said the organisation remains committed to removing barriers preventing women from starting and sustaining businesses.
According to her, women entrepreneurs still face challenges such as limited access to finance, policy constraints and social inequalities.
What’s being said
Dr. Raymond Ihyembe, Chairman, International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria:
“It’s not too long ago that women were not even allowed to vote. In the United Kingdom and the United States, they had to fight for that right. Even in some of the oldest universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Glasgow, women were not admitted for many years.”
“Empowering women should not be seen as a token gesture. It is a right. Any nation that refuses to empower women and utilise their talents does a great disservice to itself.”
“Our nation needs women to help rescue it before we sink deeper into the challenges created by our actions and inactions.”
Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment:
“Gender equality is the destination, but gender equity is the vehicle that will take us there.”
“When women thrive, they reinvest up to 90 percent of their income into their families and communities.”
Mrs. Godfrey Ogbuechie, Group Executive Director, Rainoil Limited:
“All we need to do is to prove to ourselves and show that what a man can do, a woman can also do.”
“The effects on survivors are devastating. Many victims remain silent even when the perpetrators are people they know and trust.”
Ngozi Oyewole, President, NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women (delivered by Vice President Bolanle Edwards):
“Empowering women economically is not only a social responsibility but an economic imperative. When women succeed in business, families prosper and communities grow stronger.”
What’s next
Participants at the event called for stronger collaboration between government institutions, private sector organisations and civil society groups to promote gender-responsive policies, expand mentorship opportunities and support women-led enterprises.
They also urged stakeholders to translate advocacy into concrete actions that would increase women’s representation in leadership, improve access to finance and ensure safer environments for women and girls.
The bottom line
Speakers at the forum agreed that meaningful national development cannot be achieved without deliberate investment in women’s empowerment, stressing that when women advance, societies and economies thrive.
