ActionAid Nigeria has called for enhanced collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations and development partners to accelerate women’s empowerment and gender equality as critical drivers of sustainable development.
Ms Niri Goyit, Project Manager of the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (RWVL-N) initiative, made the call on Friday during the inauguration of the Bauchi State Project Steering Committee.
She said women remained central to family wellbeing, economic growth and national development, noting that empowering women led to improved livelihoods, better educational outcomes for children and stronger communities.
Goyit emphasised that with women constituting about half of Nigeria’s population, sustainable development could not be achieved if they continued to face barriers to education, leadership, economic opportunities and political participation.
“Women are the pillars of the family and society.
“If you want to build a nation, invest in women and girls because the impact extends beyond individuals to families, communities and the nation at large.
“We cannot speak of development while leaving half of the population behind,” she said.
She explained that ActionAid Nigeria, with support from Global Affairs Canada, inaugurated the Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria Project in 2019 to strengthen women’s rights organisations through grants, institutional capacity building and technical assistance.
According to her, the first phase of the project supported 182 women’s rights organisations across the country.
She said 16 organisations were selected in Bauchi State, enabling them to advance gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, political participation and the prevention of gender-based violence.
“The first phase reached more than 500,000 women, while participants in Village Savings and Loan Associations mobilised over N400 million, which was reinvested in businesses and community development initiatives,” she said.
Goyit said the success of the first phase informed the approval of a new five-year intervention under the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria Project by Global Affairs Canada.
She explained that the renewed project was being implemented in eight states, including Bauchi, alongside 20 national women’s rights networks.
The project, she said, would focus on preventing gender-based violence, promoting women’s political participation and strengthening women’s economic empowerment through value-chain development.
According to her, the initiative would also link women to financial institutions, markets and private sector actors to enable them to participate meaningfully in selected agricultural and economic value chains.
The ActionAid official described the newly inaugurated Bauchi State Project Steering Committee as a strategic platform that would provide oversight, strengthen collaboration with government institutions and ensure the sustainability of project outcomes beyond its lifespan.
She urged committee members to demonstrate effective leadership and work closely with partner organisations to create lasting opportunities that would improve the lives of women, girls and communities across the state.
“The question is not what happens when the project ends, but what we are building now to ensure that the gains are sustained long after funding concludes,” she said.
Also speaking, Mr Owea Omoragbon, Manager of Zenith Bank in Bauchi, commended the initiative for promoting women’s economic empowerment and pledged the bank’s support for programmes that advanced women’s leadership and financial inclusion.
He said the bank had made notable progress in promoting gender equality, including the appointment of its first female Managing Director.
“The difference in leadership has been remarkable.
“We have observed greater attention to staff welfare, improved promotion processes and stronger support for women in the workplace,” he said.
Omoragbon added that the bank had institutionalised mandatory annual training on women’s rights and the prevention of sexual harassment for all staff to ensure a safe and inclusive work environment.
He further said that the current management had increased women’s representation in leadership, with two women now serving as Executive Directors for the first time in the bank’s history.
On financial inclusion, he said the bank had developed tailored products to support women-owned enterprises.
“Conventional business loans may attract interest rates of up to 32 per cent, but for women-led businesses, our Ze-Women Loan Facility offers financing at rates as low as nine per cent,” he said.
Omoragbon expressed the bank’s readiness to partner with organisations implementing women’s economic empowerment initiatives.
“Zenith Bank is committed to partnering with this programme, particularly after learning that more than N400 million has been mobilised through Village Savings and Loan Associations.
“We are prepared to collaborate and expand access to affordable finance for women entrepreneurs,” he said.
Presenting the committee’s Terms of Reference, Ms Noro Nature, RWVL Northern Coordinator, said the committee would provide strategic leadership, oversight, accountability, advisory support and advocacy for the RWVL-N project in Bauchi State.
She said the committee comprised representatives of women-led organisations, state ministries, federal agencies, Zenith Bank and MTN Nigeria Bauchi Branch.
Commitments to support the initiative were made by the state Ministries of Budget and Planning, Women Affairs and Child Development, and Commerce and Industry.
Others include the Bauchi State Agency for Persons with Disabilities and the National Human Rights Commission, Bauchi Office.
The engagement was organised by the Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative.
