The Federal Government on Tuesday renewed calls for stronger gender diversity and expanded leadership opportunities for women in Nigerian media.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, made the call at a one-day capacity-building training for female journalists in Abuja.
The exercise, themed “Workplace Diversification: Advancing Female Journalists’ Role in the Newsroom,” was organized by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Walson-Jack, represented by the Director of Learning and Development, Elisha Benjamin, said equitable representation was critical to strengthening the nation’s media landscape.
She noted that women were central to national development but continued to face limited visibility and underrepresentation in newsroom leadership and editorial decision-making.
According to her, the theme aligns with federal reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which prioritizes fair representation.
She said that while the civil service had recorded improvements in women’s participation at strategic levels, the media industry still lagged behind in achieving gender-balanced leadership.
“Workplace diversification is not charity or tokenism; it is a strategic necessity.
“When women sit at the table, institutions make better decisions, and the national narrative becomes richer and more complete,” she said.
She added that gaps in women’s representation affect storytelling, weaken empathy in reporting and limit the breadth of public discourse.
Walson-Jack outlined four priority areas for strengthening women’s roles in journalism: institutional commitment to equitable recruitment and promotion, continuous capacity development, structured mentorship for young journalists and gender-sensitive reporting that dismantles stereotypes.
The HoCSF urged female journalists to “own their voice,” uphold professionalism and mentor younger colleagues while using media platforms to promote dignity, unity and public trust.
NAWOJ National Chairperson, Aisha Ibrahim, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to advancing gender inclusion, describing diversification as essential for credible journalism.
“At NAWOJ, we are committed to breaking down barriers and advocating for equitable opportunities.
“This training equips participants with the confidence and tools needed to take their rightful place at editorial tables,” she said.
According to her, gender-diverse newsrooms enrich public storytelling, deepen accountability and ensure that national narratives reflect social realities.
Earlier, the NAWOJ FCT Chairperson, Mrs Bassey Ita-Ikpang, said she was optimistic that the workshop would strengthen women’s skills in digital journalism.
She added that the training would help improve women’s leadership capacity and enable them to overcome structural challenges such as visibility gaps, work–life pressures and limited career advancement.
She commended past leaders of the association for building a strong foundation and encouraged participants to make maximum use of the training sessions.
The workshop featured newsroom executives, digital experts, senior editors and media strategists.
About 100 journalists participated in the event, which provided a platform for discussions on digital transformation in the media and improving women’s representation in decision-making positions.
