__Minister
At Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim says closing the gender gap could add $229bn to GDP by 2030
By Dr, Nafisat Makinde Abuja | September 4, 2025
The Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 (GS-25), convened by the Policy Innovation Centre of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), ended in Abuja on Thursday after two days of high-level dialogues focused on accelerating an inclusive society. The summit, held from September 3–4 at the Abuja Continental Hotel, gathered ministers, policymakers, private sector leaders, civil society actors, and development partners under the theme “New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society.”
Speaking at the ministerial plenary, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, FSI, stressed that Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy rests on fully unlocking women’s potential. “Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy cannot be achieved if women, who represent over 50% of our population, remain constrained to the margins,” she declared. “Closing the gender gap in labour force participation could add as much as $229 billion to our GDP by 2030. Empowering women is not just a moral imperative—it is an economic necessity.”
The Minister outlined flagship interventions under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774 (RH-SII774) and the Families First Initiative, designed to expand women’s role in agriculture, promote access to clean cooking solutions, strengthen family resilience, and advance the National Care Economy Framework.
She commended reforms in states such as Adamawa, Niger, and Rivers, where women are gaining ground in politics and governance. She also pointed to successes in finance and business, noting that women currently lead more than 40% of Nigeria’s commercial banks—a record surpassing global averages.
Reiterating the need for stronger representation, Hajia Imaan reaffirmed her Ministry’s backing for the Special Seats Bill for Women. “Women in decision-making roles are more likely to direct resources toward education, health, and social protection. This is why representation matters,” she said.
The Minister praised GS-25 for becoming a hub of innovation and dialogue. “What you have built is no longer just a national conversation; it is fast becoming Africa’s foremost marketplace of ideas for inclusion. Our task is to ensure the energy and ideas from GS-25 are translated into measurable change across government, private sector, and communities,” she added.
The summit concluded with technical sessions and strategic dialogues, with stakeholders expected to release actionable commitments to guide Nigeria’s inclusive growth agenda in the years ahead.
