Experts call for increase of women in economic leadership in Nigeria

Experts have called for increase in the number of women active in economic leadership in Nigeria.

Economic experts made this call at a Stakeholder Roundtable on “Women in Economic Leadership in Nigeria”, put together by the Policy Innovation Centre, in collaboration with Co-Impact, held in Lagos on Friday.

The event brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector, including Shyllon Olufunke, Director of Lagos State Women Affairs, and Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, President of the Nigerian Economic Society, to discuss PIC’s latest research findings on the barriers and opportunities facing women in economic leadership and policy reforms that can enhance their role in this field.

Adeola Adenikinju, President of the Nigerian Economic Society, in his keynote address, stated that in Nigeria since 1999, no woman has ever headed the Central Bank.

He pointed out that while 50 percent of the Ministry of Finance leaders have been women, only one woman has served as Chief Economic Adviser to the President.

Adenikiju further called for urgent need for policy reforms to address these barriers and increase female representation in economic leadership.

He also encouraged women in leadership positions to support and mentor younger women to ensure a more inclusive future for the economic sector.

Shyllon Olufunke, Director of Lagos State Women Affairs also called on stakeholders to recognize challenges faced by women with disabilities in their efforts to advance gender equality.

She acknowledged the progress made by the public sector through various interventions but stressed that there is still much more to be done.

“Women are making strides,” Olufunke said, highlighting the continued need for collective action to ensure women are steadily advancing in the economic sector.

Mary Jimoh, Gender Research Specialist at the Policy Innovation Centre, in her key findings highlighted several critical barriers to women’s economic leadership in Nigeria.

She noted that societal expectations, gender roles, workplace stereotypes, and the abyssal implementation of gender policies continue to limit women’s advancement in Economic Leadership.

“Women in Nigeria are powerful agents of economic transformation, but they require an environment that not only recognizes their potential but actively facilitates their path to leadership,” Jimoh said.

Recommendations from the study included facilitating peer mentoring and networking opportunities to enable knowledge-sharing and support among women at similar career stages and at the policy level, it called for platforms like the Nigerian Economic Society and the Nigerian University Council to mandate the implementation of gender-equitable policies within organisations in Nigeria.

The panel discussions at the roundtable shared more insights into existing gender policies, discussed gaps in their implementation, and collectively underscored a strategic approach to advancing women’s economic leadership across all career levels.

Stakeholders agreed on the need for tailored initiatives, from mentorship and training programs at entry levels to organisational policies supporting work-life balance at mid-career stages.

At senior levels, they highlighted the role of mentorship networks and advocacy, with seasoned women leaders actively lobbying for policy reforms that support inclusive leadership, creating an inclusive path for more women to assume high-level economic roles.

Gladys Onyango, Associate Director of Programs, Africa at Co-Impact, in her opening remarks, highlighted the invaluable contributions of Nigerian women to the economy.

She thanked the PIC for hosting the event and acknowledged the collective efforts to overcome institutional barriers that prevent women from entering, thriving, and rising in leadership roles.

“Together, we can create a future where women’s leadership in economics is not the exception but the norm,” Onyango said.

The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is the first national institutionalized behavioral initiative in Africa supporting government and stakeholders to make behaviorally informed decisions and generate evidence for impact driven interventions in critical thematic areas.

The PIC is an initiative of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), a leading think tank in Africa redefining evidence based policy advocacy and this roundtable is part of the PIC ongoing efforts to create impactful, evidence-based solutions to advance gender equity and social inclusion.