Inside FG’s 2024-2027 roadmap for Nigerian women

On October 28, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reassigned five ministers, among them  Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, who was appointed as the new Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. Weekend Trust takes a closer look at the Minister’s ambitious roadmap and strategic vision for empowering Nigerian women.   Roadmap 2024-2027 In December 2024, the Minister […]

On October 28, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reassigned five ministers, among them  Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, who was appointed as the new Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. Weekend Trust takes a closer look at the Minister’s ambitious roadmap and strategic vision for empowering Nigerian women.

 

Roadmap 2024-2027

In December 2024, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim launched an ambitious roadmap that spans 2024 to 2027, designed to address maternal mortality, gender-based violence, economic barriers, and limited political participation for women.

Under this plan, the ministry aims to provide menstrual hygiene products and education to 10 million girls and women, while also empowering another 10 million women to contribute to building a $1 trillion economy.

It said 200,000 survivors of gender-based violence will receive psychosocial, legal, and reintegration support annually, and two million out-of-school children, particularly girls, will be enrolled in safe learning environments.

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Another key component of the roadmap focuses on agriculture. The ministry revealed plans to train one million female smallholder farmers in climate-resilient farming techniques. It also said that it intends to transition one million households to clean and sustainable cooking energy, reduce maternal mortality by 20 per cent, and establish six specialist hospitals for women and children. Additionally, 50,000 social workers and caregivers would be trained and deployed to support vulnerable families. 

 

CSOs speak on ministry’s roadmap

While analysing the ministry’s plan to offer psychosocial and legal support for 200,000 survivors of gender-based violence, Barrister Gladys Emmanuel, gender advocate at the Tabitha Foundation, called for speedy dispensation of justice for victims.

Sadly recounting the growing cases of femicide in the country, Ms Emmanuel outlined the need to create special courts for trying GBV cases across the country so that potential perpetrators would be deterred.

“One thing that continues to spring up from various quarters is the need for the creation of specialised courts to try GBV cases and training of judicial officers on handling cases. We also have to note that there are gaps when it comes to handling these cases. The reason is because, first, there is no awareness or no enlightenment with regards to the exact speciality needed to attend to GBV cases.”

Examining the transient nature of government and its impact on such policies, Ms Emmanuel noted that it is important to “sit down with representatives of Nigerian women and find out what is it exactly that the Nigerian women need.”

Also speaking to our correspondent, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), stressed the importance of accelerating action in line with the 2025 International Women’s Day theme. According to her, building stronger bonds with other ministries will fast-track and strengthen policies and initiatives that directly impact women.

“I strongly recommend fostering deeper collaborations with other ministries, as this will help reinforce existing policies and initiatives to create a more impactful and sustainable approach.”

Meanwhile, Professor Hauwa Yusuf, Director of Gender studies at the Kaduna State University (KASU), while critiquing the minister’s policy on educating 10 million girls before 2027 and enrolling two million out-of-school children, mostly girls in safe learning environments, said a strong political will is needed to achieve such feat.

She added that having all the statistics, especially from rural communities would be essential. “As long as there is a genuine intention towards the purpose, it is achievable. They would need the statistics of young female school dropouts, put them in schools and monitor their progress within this period,” she said.

Though she noted that there might be challenges on the road to executing the policy of empowering women, Professor Yusuf added, “I feel it is achievable. All she needs to do is choose the right women who truly need assistance, to be empowered.”

However, Dr Mufuliat Fijabi, Executive Director of the Sustainable Gender Action Initiative, spoke highly of the minister’s commitment to protecting children’s rights, referencing the minister’s support for 52 minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protest as a significant step in ensuring that children’s welfare remains a priority.

Beyond immediate interventions, Dr. Mufuliat emphasized the need for full implementation of the National Gender Policy. She described the policy as a comprehensive framework that could significantly improve the lives of Nigerian women and children while reinforcing Nigeria’s gender equality commitments on both international and regional fronts.

“I will highly advise that the minister pushes for the full implementation of the National Gender Policy. The policy is all-encompassing and will impact effectively on the lives of Nigerian women and children. It will also ensure that Nigeria meets its gender equality commitments at the international and regional levels,” she said.

Founder and President of the Network of Women with Disabilities, Lois Auta, recommended more emphasis be placed on economic empowerment and girl child education, especially for the grassroots.

Auta acknowledged the efforts of the minister on inclusion of women with disabilities in her strategic plan, noting that they had been collaborating in regards to available data on Nigerian women with disabilities.

She added that considering the significant suffering of women and girls in rural areas, due to lack of education, “the minister must work hard to see that every young Nigerian girl is educated and the Nigerian woman is empowered.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim at a press briefing to mark this year’s International Women’s Day, on Thursday called on more women to campaign in elective positions.

Speaking in Abuja, she said, “When discussing gender equality, people often look to the elective offices and political representation, and rightfully so because that’s where change is most visible. Policies shape our society, and the numbers tell a concerning story. In the last Assembly, there were nine female senators out of 109; in the 10th Assembly, that number has dropped to just four. This decline is a clear setback.”

When questioned on the growing trend of femicide in the country, she acknowledged, “It is a collective effort, and the ministry is ready to take the lead like never before. We will work to strengthen legal instruments and harness scarce resources to ensure that perpetrators are dealt with.”

The minister also assured full implementation of the six-month maternity leave for mothers across states. “We are aware that many states are yet to implement the six-month maternity leave. All states must enact the law to ensure we have physically and mentally healthy mothers in the workplace,” she said.