Women will lead Africa’s $29trn economic ambition – Shettima

…says inclusion will spread across 774 LGAs

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday said that women would be at the forefront of Africa’s projected $29 trillion economic transformation.

This is just as he also expressed strong conviction that gender inclusion is not merely a rhetorical commitment but a cornerstone of Nigeria’s national development agenda.

Shettima stated this in Abuja when he declared open the 2025 Gender Inclusion Conference and launched Project #SheIsIncluded to bridge gender gaps in finance and the broader economy.

The Conference with the theme, “Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience for Sustainable Women’s Economic and Financial Inclusion,” builds on the 2024 Aso Accord for Economic and Financial Inclusion and underscores Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of all Women and Girls.

“We cannot build the Nigeria or Africa we envision without fully integrating women into our economic systems. Women are not just participants in our economy; they are leaders, innovators, and the bedrock of sustainable development,” the Vice President stated.

According to Shettima, Project #SheIsIncluded is built on four key pillars of education and financial literacy, maternal healthcare, gender-sensitive policies and programmes, and expanded economic opportunities for women.

He also announced that the initiative would reach all 774 local government areas across Nigeria to ensure that no woman is left behind.

“Our commitment to gender inclusion is not a cosmetic performance to placate the sensibilities of progressives; it is a fundamental pillar of our national development agenda. We are not just assuring the women of Nigeria of their place in our collective journey—we are creating the pathways for them to lead the charge,” he added.

He explained that the project “is not just about meeting quotas—it is about unlocking the full potential of our people to drive the broader economic goals of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.”

The Vice President noted that the initiative would be spearheaded by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs.

“To build an inclusive economic ecosystem where all Nigerians, regardless of gender, can contribute and benefit, we must redouble our efforts and align with global best practices. We must be relentless in our pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 5—achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls,” he affirmed.

He emphasised that the two-day Conference was more than just a Forum for discussion as it offered an avenue for serious reflection and practical strategising on how to build an inclusive nation. He urged both public and private sector stakeholders to take the opportunity to outline actionable steps towards active participation in the gender inclusion agenda.

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“I look forward to the recommendations that will emerge from this conference, knowing that they will shape the future of gender inclusion in Nigeria,” VP Shettima noted.

Kudirat Kekere -Ekun, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, said the Conference was an important milestone in the collective effort to outline ways of breaking barriers to empowering women and promoting inclusion.

She said gender inclusion was a key enabler of sustainable development and central to addressing poverty and fostering economic growth, noting that it should translate into financial independence, wealth creation, and leadership development for women across different sectors.

The CJN assured that the Judiciary would work in partnership with stakeholders to ensure that the rights of women to access economic resources and ownership of property, among others, are protected and not subjected to the dictates of individuals or obsolete cultural practices and stereotypes.

In a recorded message for the occasion, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, said the Conference marked a critical step towards Nigeria’s journey to gender inclusion, women empowerment, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She said gender equality and inclusion is not just an aspiration but a foundation for sustainable development, peace, and development across the World, urging all to invest in women’s empowerment, just as she notex that when women are empowered, communities prosper, economies grow, and societies advance.