It is truly a pleasure to extend my warmest felicitations to the organizers of this momentous event. As the new Minister of Women Affairs, having just assumed duty a few days ago, I am excited to be a part of this collective effort to empower and uplift women across our great continent. I therefore bring you warm greetings from Nigerian Women who make up 49.5% of our Nation’s 200 million people. Our strength is in our diversity.

2. I understand that this marks the 8th Edition since its Inauguration in New York in 2018. The theme of this 8th Edition of the conference, ‘Digital Advancement: Harnessing its Potential for the African Woman,’ resonates deeply with me. I firmly believe that digital technology can be harnessed in changing the tides for women’s economic empowerment, education, and social inclusion.

3. One of the positive aftermath of COVID-19 is the revolution of digital technology in the education sector in Africa, providing access to quality education, especially for women and girls, access to educational resources, allowed them to participate in virtual classrooms, and connect with mentors and peers worldwide. Digital technology has also enabled women to acquire skills in coding, software development, and data science, bridging the gap in the tech industry. It also ushered in online platforms which made it possible for some women to sell their goods and services, while improving outcomes for women in Africa by providing access to telemedicine services, online health information, and mobile health applications, enabled women to access reproductive health services, track their menstrual cycles, and receive alerts for prenatal care. Telemedicine services have also made it possible for women to consult with healthcare professionals remotely, reducing the need for physical clinic visits. For example, with technology women are able to check their blood pressure and other health issues reducing the time spent in hospitals and resources, but that is not to say that we should not physically visit the health facilitaties.

4. Several women and female-led initiatives have made significant impacts not only in my country, Nigeria, but in Africa as a whole.

5. I am happy to announce that Nigeria has made tremendous progress in the area of Women Economic Empowerment with the launch of the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy; first of its kind in Africa to address economic empowerment of women across all sectors, including ICT. We are currently engaging with development partners to ensure its domestication in all the 36 States of the Federation. Our National Gender Policy has also been reviewed to capture emerging issues after COVID-19 and other unforeseen challenges which we continue to grapple with as a Nation, especially as it affects women and their families. The
empowerment of women and young girls, including the next generation (genzees) represented here by the AWC next is crucial if we have to make gains across all sectors. We also have The 50 Million African Women Speak Project (50MWSPP) platform, an initiative of ECOWAS and Access Bank to reposition women entrepreneurs in Nigeria and West African sub-region for increased revenue through digital marketing, amongst many Women’s Financial Inclusion and empowerment projects. These have helped women become financially independent.

6. I want to charge the African Women Conference (AWC) at this time to come up with recommendations that can improve African Women’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). By leveraging AfCFTA, African women can unlock new economic opportunities, enhance their participation in trade, and contribute to the continent’s growth and development.

7. Excellencies, distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, 2025 marks a significant milestone in the journey towards advocating for better deals for women across the globe. It marks 30 years of the Beijing Platform for Action. As we push towards the Beijing plus 30 review process in which will form the dominant discussions at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March 2025, we need to begin to take stock and see how well we have fared as a continent. For us a nation, the Ministry of Women Affairs and it’s sub-national structures are one of the gains of the Beijing platform for action as institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women. We will continue to jealousy guide them as crucial to the achievement of gender equality and equity principles in women’s participation in power and decision making.

8. Finally, to my fellow women leaders and other critical stakeholders in this room, I urge you to remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence. Let us continue to support one another, amplify each other’s voices, and create opportunities for the next generation through mentoring, partnerships and collaboration.

8. The cry of one one African Girl-Child is the cry of the other. The cry of one African Women is the cry of the other. When women are empowered, communities thrive and society gains. Together, we can achieve greatness. Together, we will create a brighter future for all African women.

Long live Nigerian Women!!
Long live African Women!!!

I thank you all for your attention.