On Thursday in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced that women will play a key role in Africa’s anticipated $29 trillion economic transformation, aiming to promote gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. He made this declaration at the opening of the 2025 Gender Inclusion Conference, where he also launched Project #SheIsIncluded, designed to close gender gaps in finance and the economy.
The conference, themed “Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience for Sustainable Women’s Economic and Financial Inclusion,” follows up on the 2024 Aso Accord for Economic and Financial Inclusion and highlights Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5—gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
VP Shettima emphasized that Africa’s future development depends on integrating women into the economy, noting that women are not just participants but leaders and innovators essential to sustainable growth. He outlined that Project #SheIsIncluded focuses on four pillars: education and financial literacy, maternal healthcare, gender-sensitive policies, and expanding economic opportunities for women. The project will be implemented across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria to ensure no woman is excluded.
He underscored that the initiative is about more than meeting quotas—it aims to unlock the full potential of women to contribute to the broader economic objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He also stressed that the commitment to gender inclusion is a core part of the nation’s development agenda, not merely symbolic.
The conference, which seeks to devise practical strategies for building an inclusive nation, also featured remarks from notable figures, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who stressed that gender inclusion is vital for sustainable development. Dr. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, praised Nigeria’s efforts towards achieving gender inclusion and women’s empowerment as essential to peace and economic growth.
State leaders such as Governors Uba Sani of Kaduna, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, and Monday Okpebholo of Edo also highlighted their states’ efforts toward empowering women, with initiatives in education, agriculture, and small business development.
The conference provided a platform for discussions on breaking barriers to women’s financial inclusion, with contributions from financial leaders like Mr. Oliver Alawuba, CEO of UBA Group, and Tosin Eniolorunda, Founder of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, who emphasized the economic necessity of inclusion.