Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has called for rights, justice, and concrete action for all women and girls in the country. Her Excellency made this call at the State House Banquet Hall, Aso Rock, Abuja, on Monday, April 27, as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs hosted the Give to Gain Summit to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day.
Held under the theme “Right, Justice, Action for all Women and Girls,” the summit drew women leaders, policymakers, development partners, and entrepreneurs from across Nigeria to review progress, share field stories, and mobilize new commitments toward gender equality.
The high point of the event was the Flag-Off of the Give to Gain Empowerment by Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In her Keynote address, Her Excellency, the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, represented by Hajiya Fatima Abbas, wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while echoing the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noted that 2026, declared the ”Year of Families and Social Development,” recognizes women as the architects of stable, thriving households.
”This administration is expanding opportunities in enterprise, agriculture, social protection, and innovation for long-term inclusion and prosperity,” she said.
The First Lady also applauded the minister and her team for their dedication and commitment to the agenda, particularly highlighting the ”Renewed Social Impact Intervention 774”, which is expanding opportunities for women and families across the country.
”The conversations here must lead to action, to partnership, to investments and programs that make a measurable difference,” she stated.
The Minister of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in her speech, described the ‘’Give to Gain’’ theme as a shift from the mere rhetoric or optics to a ‘’mandate of renewed prosperity’’. She highlighted the economic exigency of empowering women, reiterating that while they constitute over 50% of the population and about 40% of the agricultural labor force, they, however, remain disproportionately excluded from formal finance.
Closing this gap is a strategy. When we give women access, tools, and trust, we unlock exponential returns for families and the economy.
To enforce this transformation, the minister stated that the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions (RH-SII 774), a nine-pillar framework, is fashioned to provide direct economic empowerment, microcredit, and agricultural support across all local government areas. Fundamental to this is the newly approved Affirmative Procurement Policy, which grants women-owned ventures equitable access to government contracts and, as such, turns public procurement into a tool for inclusive growth and development.
Further, the minister, in addressing the global care economy, noted that the policy must now carry the weight historically borne by women.
‘’This is woman o’clock, a year where her labour is valued, her role is dignified, and her contributions are institutionalised,’’ she declared.
In a final call to action, Minister Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim entreated women to foster sisterhood: When you gain a seat at the table, create room for many more. Do not throw away the ladder,’’ she declared.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Esuabana Nko Asanye, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, explained that March 2026 marked the familiar rhythm of people speaking about women’s rights, safety, respect, equal care, and fair hearing.
‘’Institutions published promises, the government repeated plans, organizations published events, and issued statements. These outside supports mattered because public behavior shapes daily lives,’’ she stated and continued.
‘’This gathering brings together policy makers, development partners, sponsors, stakeholders, and advocates who are united with a common goal to advance the cause of women and promote inclusive national development.
Invest in women, accelerate progress. Many women cannot wait for society to get it right before they begin living with respect. Outer change often moves in slow steps, and sometimes it stops. The meeting today is very profound and eminent as it reminds us that meaningful progress requires deliberate investment in true access to education, opportunities, resources, and support systems.
Over the past years, the ministry has continued to implement programs and policies aimed at empowering women economically, enhancing their access to education and health care, protecting their rights and the rights of the family,’’ she declared.
Country Representative, Beatrice Eyong, represented by the Acting Deputy Representative of UN Women Nigeria, Patience Ekeoba, in her goodwill message, stated that while Nigerian women excel across all sectors, they remain severely under-represented in public decision-making. She identified with the success of regional peers like Rwanda and Senegal, which have leveraged deliberate measures to create more inclusive governance. She called for the implementation of reserved seats, campaign finance reforms, and initiatives to mitigate violence against women in politics to ensure a more representative future.
‘’When we speak of women, power and leadership, we are speaking about justice, representation and the future of nations,’’ she said. ‘’Leadership is strongest when it reflects the people it serves.’’
Other key partners who also delivered goodwill messages include: Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Director-General of the SEC, Engr. Uzoma Nwagba, MD, CREDICORP, and Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, DG, NADDC, among others.
The event also featured a video documentary on Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions 774, a performance by the Summit Choir, a High Impact Showcase from flagship initiatives, a Social Impact Stories from the Field segment, and an interactive session.
