The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria convened the second edition of the Nigerian Women’s Day celebration during the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York City, last week.
Organised under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the event brought together global leaders including In attendance was the United Nations Deputy Secretary General (UN DSG) Amina J. Mohammed. Also in attendance are ministers, diplomats, civil society leaders, gender advocates, entrepreneurs, artists, and members of the Nigerian diaspora for a full day of dialogue, culture, and high-level action.
The event, themed “31 Years of Progress, Resilience, Impact and Renewed Hope,” marked Nigeria’s commitment to advancing gender equality on the world stage, asserting the leadership role of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate on women’s rights, family resilience, and inclusive development.
Chair of the Board of Directors of Women Radio WFM 91.7, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, delivered a compelling welcome address, framing the day’s agenda around women’s leadership, innovation, and global collaboration. A specially commissioned Opening Film followed, offering a visual portrait of women’s leadership across institutions and borders.
In her address, Sulaiman-Ibrahim made a call to action, drawing on Nigeria’s nine-pillar Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions 774 (RH-SII-774) framework. She outlined the Ministry’s ambition to reach women across all 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria through targeted interventions in energy access, agriculture, digital inclusion, health and protection, creativity and innovation, leadership, education, child development, and family resilience.
She set out a six-point call to action for governments, development partners, and civil society, demanding greater investment, stronger coordination, and an end to the era of declarations without delivery. She explained, “Transforming women’s lives at scale requires sustained investment, strong partnerships, and coordinated action. There is an urgent need for greater investment in women and girls, both domestically and globally. Women’s empowerment is not a social programme; it is an economic strategy, a security strategy, and a development imperative.”
The highlight of the day was a high-level fireside conversation between the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohamed, which wove together Nigeria’s national ambitions with the global gender equality agenda. Participants engaged both leaders on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing women and girls across Africa and the world.
Three panel sessions were held: Global Leadership, Peace & Security for Social Impact; Women, Institutions & The Economy; and Positive Masculinity. The conversations centred around women leading at the intersection of governance, peace, and global institutions, charting pathways for women’s economic leadership, and transformative dialogues exploring how men can move beyond words to become active architects of gender justice. Speakers and participants at the 2nd edition of Nigerian Women’s Day included the Honourable Minister of State, Labour & Productivity, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; the National Population Commission Chairman, Dr Aminu Yusuf; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, Dr Emanso Emabong; AIG Aisha Abubakar Baju, PhD; Presidents of Officers’ Wives Associations; senior female officers from paramilitary establishments; Her Regal Majesty Olori Temitope Ogunwusi; and Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria. Others included Dame Pauline K. Tallen, Abosede George-Ogan of WILAN, Enene Ejembi, Executive Director of Verbatim Virtual Solutions, Kafeel Olabiyi-Shittu of the Bank of Industry; Dr Anino Emuwa of 100 Women@Davos, Mary Jandora Sinjen, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Taraba State, Amb. Bolaji Akinremi, Dr Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, and Nigerians in the diaspora.
Internationally celebrated artist and human rights activist Laolu Senbanjo delivered a short presentation on how his art challenges stereotypes and leads social conversations. The artist performed his signature body painting, with intricate, spiritual black-and-white patterns flowing across the skin in real time. The event was equally a cultural celebration and a policy forum. Vibrant African cultural performance troupes brought the spirit of the continent to life in the centre of New York City, delivering electrifying song and dance that inspired the audience to their feet. The second edition of the Nigerian Women’s Day affirms a national understanding that the strength of any nation is rooted in the stability of its families, and that women, children, and households must be placed firmly at the centre of economic policy, social investment, and national development planning.
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