WILAN convenes women leaders to strengthen collaboration in Nigeria

The Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN Global), in partnership with Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), and the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), hosted the Women in Leadership Cross-Sector Convening on Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Abuja.

Held under the theme, ‘Connecting Impact: Cross-Sector Leadership for National Growth,’ the gathering brought together more than 100 established and emerging women leaders from different sectors to foster strategic collaboration, dismantle institutional silos, and deepen women’s participation in decision-making across Nigeria.

The convening represents an important step in WILAN Global’s broader efforts to shift conversations around women’s leadership beyond representation toward meaningful and systemic influence. The discussions focused on how women can move from merely occupying leadership positions to actively shaping policies, institutions, and governance structures that influence national outcomes.

Abosede George-Ogan, founder of WILAN Global, emphasised the importance of collaboration across sectors in addressing Nigeria’s growing challenges.

According to her, “Across Nigeria, we are facing increasingly complex challenges that no single sector can solve alone. We have encountered excellent women leaders across sectors who were working in silos. And silos, no matter how strong they are individually, do not build nations. At WILAN, we believe leadership is not simply about occupying positions. It is about creating pathways, expanding possibilities, and building institutions that outlast those who lead.”

Her remarks were followed by coalition presentations and goodwill messages from partner organisations. The programme featured four major sessions, including a keynote address, a panel of senior women leaders, a public sector roundtable, and a session dedicated to emerging women leaders.

The keynote address was delivered by Elsie Addo Awadzi on the topic, ‘From Presence to Power: Why Women’s Cross-Sector Leadership Will Shape Africa’s Future.’ Drawing from her experience in governance, finance, and public policy, she stressed the growing importance of collaborative leadership in solving complex development issues.

Awadzi noted that, “The era of siloed leadership is ending. The leaders who will define the next generation of African development will not be those who know the most about one sector. They will be those who can connect sectors, align incentives, build coalitions, and mobilise diverse actors around shared national priorities. The future belongs to integrators and collaborators.”

The Public Sector Roundtable, themed ‘Strengthening Subnational Systems for Change,’ brought together senior women in government and public leadership to discuss the role of subnational governance in achieving inclusive development. Conversations centred on strengthening institutional coordination, improving service delivery, and increasing women’s participation within public decision-making structures.

The Women in Leadership Cross-Sector Convening aligns with WILAN Global’s mission to build sustainable structures for advancing women’s leadership. The organisation says meaningful progress requires not only empowering individual women, but also encouraging collective action among women leaders across sectors who are committed to a more inclusive leadership landscape and Nigeria’s development.

By creating a platform where established and emerging leaders could connect, the convening encouraged stronger networks, collaborative thinking, and knowledge-sharing capable of driving both personal growth and institutional change. Participants left with renewed purpose, stronger relationships, and clearer pathways for future collaboration.