Nigeria Deepens Arab, Global Ties on Social Protection, Women’s Empowerment

Nigeria once again projected its commitment to inclusive social development and global cooperation as the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented the country at the Arab Ministerial Conference on the Implementation of the Doha Declaration 2025 in Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Addressing Arab ministers, heads of delegations and representatives of international and regional organisations, the Minister conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and expressed Nigeria’s appreciation to the Government and people of Jordan for hosting a timely and purposeful dialogue on shared social development priorities.

In a statement on Wednesday by her Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Mr Jonathan Eze, the minister described the conference as a powerful reaffirmation that social development is a fundamental human right and a critical pillar for peace, stability and sustainable prosperity across nations.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim told the gathering that Nigeria fully aligns with the vision of the Doha Political Declaration 2025 and the outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development, stressing that the country’s policies are firmly anchored in Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.

According to her, these frameworks place people at the centre of governance, with deliberate focus on poverty reduction, human capital development and inclusive growth, particularly for women, children, families and vulnerable populations.

She highlighted ongoing institutional reforms aimed at strengthening inclusive social progress, including the establishment of Regional Development Ministries and Agencies across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, as well as Ward Development Initiatives designed to ensure balanced territorial development and grassroots inclusion.

The Minister noted that Nigeria has also institutionalised its National Social Investment Programmes through a dedicated agency, delivering conditional cash transfers, youth employment schemes, school feeding programmes and enterprise support to millions of citizens through a strengthened National Social Register.

Emphasising the role of technology in modern governance, she pointed to the launch of Nigeria’s enhanced National Digital Identity Portal in 2025, which has improved access to public services, enhanced transparency and enabled more targeted social protection. She expressed Nigeria’s willingness to deepen collaboration with Jordan and the League of Arab States in exchanging best practices on digital inclusion and efficient service delivery.

The Minister further outlined Nigeria’s investments in youth empowerment and innovation through initiatives such as the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund and the Creative Economy Development Fund, which are equipping young Nigerians, especially women, to become entrepreneurs and drivers of economic transformation.

These efforts, she said, are reinforced by expanded investments in technical and vocational education, STEM programmes and a life-cycle approach to social development that protects citizens from early childhood through old age.

She also spotlighted flagship interventions under the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, including the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774, designed to empower over 10 million women within five years, strengthen family systems and institutionalise care through structured social workforce reforms.

The Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up, targeting 4.5 million women nationwide, was described as a transformative initiative that builds women-led collectives to drive economic empowerment, social inclusion, leadership and community resilience.

Beyond domestic reforms, Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that Nigeria continues to expand investment in primary healthcare, maternal and child health, early childhood education, climate resilience, environmental sustainability and access to clean energy, while strengthening institutional capacity for social protection and data governance.

She underscored Nigeria’s belief that the successful implementation of the Doha Declaration depends on sustained regional and international cooperation to confront shared challenges such as climate change, economic volatility and demographic pressures.

Under her tenure, Nigeria has witnessed a stronger and more productive engagement with foreign governments and international development partners, resulting in improved collaboration in advancing women’s empowerment, protecting the girl child and safeguarding vulnerable groups.

This growing international confidence, observers note, has reinforced Nigeria’s position as a credible partner in global social development efforts.

Concluding her address, the Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s full commitment to the objectives of the Doha Declaration 2025 and to deepening collaboration with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Arab League partners, urging delegates to measure success not by policy statements alone but by the lives changed, the women empowered, the children protected and the communities uplifted.