DBN Boss Calls for Gender Equality’

DBN Boss Calls for Gender Equality’

In line with this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), in identifying gender equality as a key component of its sustainability strategy, put together a discourse, with the theme “Accelerating Parity Through Collective Individualism.”

The main thrust of the forum was a panel session, which comprised eminent personalities like the Director General, Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha; CEO, Emerging Africa Capital Group, Toyin Sanni; CFO, Development Bank of Nigeria, Ijeoma Ozulumba; CEO, Olori Beauty Enterprise, Toyin Odulate, and Founder, Healthy Nellies, Nelly Agbogu.

According to a statement, collectively, the panelists called for core mentoring for women, girl child education with a focus on rural areas, reducing inequality and individually owning the drive for gender parity.

In his address, the Chief Executive Officerm DBN, Tony Okpanachi, said: “Our mandate here at Development Bank of Nigeria, is to alleviate financing constraints faced by the MSMEs in Nigeria through the provision of financing and partial credit guarantees to eligible financial intermediaries on a market conforming and fully financially sustainable basis.

“In Nigeria today, women are still disadvantaged due to limited access to education, which has a ripple effect on earning power and economic opportunities. It’s time to change the narrative for women.”

According to the DBN boss, to achieve #EachforEqual, “we must also create awareness about the potential of women in the workplace by empowering women and making full use of God given skills for economic growth.

“When it comes to supporting lower-income women who may not have high levels of formal education, it’s important to help employers realise the value of competency over credentials.”

Okpanachi further emphasised that, “it is important to rededicate ourselves, not just to the women but to the men too, for the battle for true gender parity.

Collective action and shared responsibility for driving a gender equal world is key. Women’s equality can’t wait. It’s going to take everyone to think and be inclusive – all the time, everywhere.”

Also present at the event, was Dr. Wuraola Abiola, who gave the call to action, calling for more government agencies to organise avenues for the discussion of gender parity.
She further urged the government to do much more for Nigeria, whose population is made up of 52 per cent women.

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