NBCC Calls for Deliberate Measurable Actions in Addressing Gender Balance

Dike Onwuamaeze

The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce NBCC has stated that the pursuit of gender equality must move beyond conversations and aspirations to deliberate, measurable actions.

The NBCC stated this on Thursday when it marked the NBCC 2026 International Women’s Day with the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls.”

The President of NBCC, Mr. Abimbola Olashore, said in his welcome address that “today, we gather under a powerful and compelling theme: ‘Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls.’

“This theme speaks directly to the urgency of our time. It reminds us that conversations alone are not enough.
“Advocacy alone is not enough. Progress requires deliberate action.”

Olashore said that the International Women’s Day is both a celebration and a call to responsibility.

He said: “It is a celebration of strength, of the extraordinary contributions of women across business, governance, entrepreneurship, technology, and community leadership.

“But more importantly, it is a call to accelerate equality, remove systemic barriers, and create equitable opportunities for all women and girls.

“As a chamber committed to promoting bilateral trade, sustainable enterprise, and inclusive economic growth, we recognise that no economy can truly thrive without the full participation of women.

“Empowering women is not a social gesture; it is an economic imperative. When women succeed, businesses grow. When businesses grow, nations prosper.”

In her presentation as the guest speaker at the event, the Founder/Executive Vice Chairman of SecureID, Mrs. Kofo Akinkugbe, called for a system that would operate with the same rules for everyone irrespective of gender or circumstance.

Akinkugbe said that her reality as a female entrepreneur is that she had to constantly depend on building her brand, product quality and services in order to win in the marketplace while her male competitors are sealing deals in social clubs, golf courses, etc. without extra burden of proving their products superiority.
She also said that it is telling enough that only 3.90 per cent of the members of the National Assembly are women.
“Also we cannot talk about the future of Nigeria while leaving our girls behind.
“A significant majority of our of school children today are girls.
“This needs to change in the interest of justice and women empowerment,” she said.

Akinkugbe pointed out that much more need to be done as “leadership transformation demands that deliberate steps be taken to address these subtle issues.”
She added: “We are not here to ask for ‘handouts’ or ‘entitlements’ for women,” insisting that “nothing will change if laws and policies are not enacted to support it.
“While laws alone cannot erase every systemic bias, they determine who is invited to sit at the decision-making table and whose voice carries the weight of authority.”

The Chairman of the Programmes Committee, NBCC, Mr. Tajudeen Ahmed, said that only sustained commitment and purposeful leadership could drive real progress in enthroning gender balance.
Ahmed said that the International Women’s Day offered an important moment to celebrate the remarkable contributions of women across various sectors, from business and governance to entrepreneurship, innovation, and community development.
He said: “Women continue to play a transformative role in shaping economies, strengthening institutions, and inspiring future generations.
“At the NBCC, we recognise that inclusive economic growth is impossible without the active participation and empowerment of women.

“Supporting women in business and leadership is not merely a social objective; it is a strategic imperative for sustainable economic development.”