IWD: Musawa, NEITI, Others Seek More Women Inclusion, Seek Action Against Barriers

Emmanuel Addeh, Michael Olugbode in Abuja, Mary Nnah in Lagos, Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto & Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi 

Various groups and individuals in Nigeria have called for more women inclusion in critical decision-making positions. stressing that it is the right time to remove all barriers to women empowerment.
They spoke on this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), where Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, called for action against cultural barriers limiting women’s empowerment and inclusivity in the economy and governance.
Musawa made the comments at the weekend at the Nigerian Exchange Group’s Annual “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” symposium, to commemorate the International Women’s Day.
The event was held at the Nigerian Exchange Group House, Lagos.
While calling for an acceleration of action on women’s empowerment, the minister sought the speedy dismantling of multifaceted barriers mainly focused on cultural, institutional and economic limitations restricting women from achieving inclusivity in the country.
Musawa called for urgent steps against deep-rooted stereotypes that continued to define women’s role in many cultures, further limiting their impact in the larger society. 
She expressed concerns that gender norms still dictated career choices, family expectations and leadership opportunities in Nigeria.
“We must challenge these narratives and redefine what it means to be a woman in Africa today,” she stated. 
She further stressed that unequal access to education, healthcare and financial services continued to set women back, adding, “Policies must shift from being gender-neutral to gender-intentional, actively levelling the playing field.” 
Musawa stated that the lack of financial inclusion prevented female-led businesses from scaling and contributing more significantly to economic growth, saying overcoming these barriers requires deliberate effort from governments, businesses and society.
Musawa stated, “Women must not only be present in decision-making spaces but must be actively leading in business, politics, and governance.” 
Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) equally called for gender inclusivity in policy making positions in the extractive industry to enhance the principles of fairness and unlock the full potential of the country.
Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, made the call at a special event to commemorate the 2025 IWD held at NEITI House, Abuja. 
Orji stated that globally the extractive industry had been characterised by a significant gender imbalance, with women underrepresented in key top positions, often facing barriers that hinder their full participation and advancement.
“The disparity limits the potential of half of the world’s population and deprives the industry of diverse perspectives essential for sustainable growth and innovation,” he said.
He called on policy makers at all levels of governance to foster a wider space for inclusion, gender equity, and support within our society, particularly in the extractive sector and governance at large, especially, at the leadership level.
The keynote speaker at this year’s NEITI IWD, President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and General Counsel at Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mrs. Ezinwa Okoroafor, underscored the importance of commemorating the Women’s Day, saying it is an opportunity to assess the progress that has been made on gender equality.
In Sokoto, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Sokoto State chapter, commended the wife of the governor, Hajiya Fatima Aliyu, for her efforts to empower women and girls across the state.
According to a statement by the state NAWOJ Secretary, Hajia Hadiza Muhammad, the governor’s wife’s commitment to women’s development has been inspiring, with various initiatives aimed at promoting education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for women and girls.
In Bauchi, NAWOJ, Bauchi State chapter, marked this year’s IWD with a call for collective efforts from government, organisations and individuals to remove all forms of barriers impeding women’s progress, to give equal opportunities for the women to excel in their various endeavours.
As part of the events to commemorate the day, NAWOJ, Bauchi State chapter, in partnership with the Office of the Special Adviser to Governor Bala Mohammed on Media and Publicity trained its members on career mentorship to help their journalism profession.
Speaking during the training, which held at the NUJ Secretariat weekend, Chairperson of NAWOJ, Bauchi, Hajiya Rashida Yusuf, appreciated the special adviser, Mukhtar Gidado, for supporting the association to celebrate the IWD in grand style and also thanked office of the SDGs for their support.
Meanwhile, National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, called for adequate protection for women.
In a statement signed by NAS Capn, Dr Joseph Oteri, the association maintained that women’s universal entitlement to equality, dignity, and freedom was non-negotiable and aligned with IWD 2025 theme, “Accelerate Action.”
NAS pointed out that while many countries had implemented robust frameworks to protect women’s rights, Nigerian women often faced systemic barriers that were less prevalent elsewhere. 
“For instance, the prevalence of child marriage and maternal mortality rates in Nigeria are higher than global averages, indicating a need for targeted interventions,” NAS stated.
NAS argued that while global strides had been made toward gender equality, Nigerian women, especially, continued to face unique challenges that hindered their full participation in society.

According to the association, a significant number of Nigerian women experience gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and sexual assault.

“Cultural norms and systemic issues often impede justice for survivors, leading to underreporting and inadequate support systems,” it said.

In celebration of IWD, Foursquare Gospel Church, Surulere District Headquarters, in Lagos, took its message of hope and transformation to the streets, specifically to the Ojuelegba Under Bridge, where hundreds of people gathered for a “No to Crime Concert” and free medical check-up.

The event, which was inspired by the 65th birthday celebration of Rev. (Mrs.) Olabisi Aboyeji, wife of the General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, was designed to reach out to the needy, the poor, and the unreached, with the message of God’s love and transformation.

It featured a concert, to praise and worship God, as well as free medical check-up, where people received medical attention and counselling.

Evangelist Chukwu Chinedu, a National Evangelist with Foursquare Gospel Church, ministered on the topic, “The Knowledge of God,” emphasising the importance of having a personal relationship with God.

 According to Chinedu, “The day a man knows God, his problems come to an end. He will begin to ask questions from God and his life will be transformed.”

Chinedu emphasised the importance of the church’s role in addressing the root causes of crime in society.

“When the church fails, because the church is the hope of humanity, when the church fails from telling people that there is still hope, then there will be a problem,” he said.

He added that the church needed to rise to its responsibility and take its place in transforming lives and destinies. “When the church stands in their place, their things will be better, lives will be better, and destinies will be transformed,” Chinedu added.

Still on the event, Acting India High Commissioner, Ms Vartika Rawat, said India’s support for women’s empowerment in Nigeria had opened opportunities for women in the country, saying India now has the highest number of female pilots in the world. Rawat disclosed this while delivering her welcome speech at an event to celebrate IWD, which took place at the Indian High Commission in Abuja, on Saturday.

She said, “India has the largest number of female pilots in the world. Of the total 11,775 pilots, 1,767 are female, accounting for approximately 15 per cent of the workforce in this rigorous industry. This share exceeds the international average of five to six per cent.”