The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, has stressed that meaningful inclusion of women in governance and leadership is essential to Nigeria’s development and national progress.
Speaking in Abuja at the 2026 Young Women’s Leadership Conference (YWLC), Hadiza said Nigeria cannot achieve its development goals without deliberate efforts to empower women and expand their participation in leadership and decision-making processes.
Delivering the keynote address at the conference, she noted that women’s leadership should not be treated as symbolic representation but as a necessary factor for sustainable growth and national transformation.
According to her, the country’s progress depends largely on how effectively women are equipped with opportunities to contribute to innovation, governance and policy development.
“Leadership of young women is not a social courtesy, but a development necessity. National growth depends on how effectively women are equipped to innovate, influence policy and create measurable impact,” she said.
She urged government institutions to move beyond rhetoric by ensuring inclusion is integrated into governance and public service delivery.
Hadiza also called on the legislature and public institutions to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks that promote equal opportunities for women, stressing that policies become meaningful only when properly implemented.
She criticised discriminatory practices still affecting women in public institutions, including policies requiring married women to obtain spousal consent before accessing official benefits and conditions denying maternity leave to unmarried women.
“A nation that expects women to endure more than it empowers them to lead is limiting its own potential,” she added.
The conference, themed “Innovate, Influence, Impact: Accelerating Young Women’s Roles in National Development,” was organised by the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and other public and private sector organisations.
In her welcome address, Director-General of the CLTC, Rinsola Abiola, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to youth and women empowerment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
She disclosed that since the programme began in 2024, over 1,500 young women have benefited from mentorship, leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities through the initiative.
Abiola further revealed that participants selected after the 2025 edition received business and leadership training, alongside grants of N500,000 each to support business expansion and job creation.
According to her, the 2026 conference aims to strengthen conversations around leadership, governance, innovation and entrepreneurship while encouraging greater participation of young women in nation-building.
