President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emphasized the need for increased involvement of women in his administration, positioning gender equality and women’s empowerment as core components of his “Renewed Hope” agenda. The administration has expressed a commitment to moving beyond tokenism to ensure women play key roles in governance, policy design, and national development.
Key aspects of this initiative include:
- Political Representation: President Tinubu has expressed support for constitutional amendments to create special, designated seats for women in state and federal legislatures.
- Empowerment and Support: Through the “Renewed Hope” initiative, led by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the government is providing N50,000 grants to women entrepreneurs across the country. Additionally, a $500 million World Bank-supported program has been approved to empower women economically.
- Strategic Appointments: The administration has emphasized bringing more women into leadership positions, with the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighting the president’s commitment to gender inclusion.
- Capacity Building: The government is focusing on nurturing competence and confidence among women for both elective and appointive positions, drawing on the administration’s past record in Lagos.
- Girl-Child Education: The administration has launched the “We Are Equal” campaign to promote education for girls and women, ensuring they have the tools to contribute to national progress.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the current administration’s support for women as “unprecedented,” with women accounting for over 70 per cent of beneficiaries in national social protection