Nigeria needs $1.2bn to achieve gender equality – Minister

The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has highlighted a significant financial gap that Nigeria must urgently bridge to realize its goals of gender equality and social inclusion.¹

The Minister announced that Nigeria requires an estimated $1.2 billion over the next five years to meet its ambitious targets for sustainable development related to gender equality.²

Key Takeaways from the Minister’s Address

• The Financing Gap: Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated clearly, “We face a $1.2 billion financing gap.³ Closing it requires bold partnerships and investment in women’s advancement.”⁴
• Target: This funding is essential to support programs that will meet the nation’s Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) targets over the coming five years.⁵
• Funding Strategy: To mobilize the required capital, the government is looking beyond traditional sources.⁶ The strategy involves leveraging:
  • Blended Finance
  • Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
  • Impact Investments
• Occasion: The remarks were delivered during the Annual General Meeting and Founder’s Day of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) in Abuja.
• Political Inclusion: The Minister also used the platform to commend the National Assembly for supporting the Reserved Seats Bill, which aims to increase women’s political representation, describing it as a strategic investment in the nation’s democracy and progress.⁷

The call for such a large investment underscores the understanding that achieving gender equality is not just a social imperative but a critical economic necessity for sustainable development in Nigeria.⁸