Abuja — As Nigeria ushers in the New Year, the Chairperson of the Conference of Civil Societies and Centre for Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMICO), Dr. Adams Otakwu mni, has commended the Federal Government for what he described as “remarkable and measurable progress” in women development and empowerment recorded in 2025. Speaking at the Civil Society Annual Sectorial Performance Briefing in Abuja, Dr. Otakwu noted that the past year marked a turning point in deliberate policies and programmes that placed Nigerian women at the centre of economic growth, social stability, and national development. He said the outcomes of 2025 have reinforced confidence among civil society stakeholders that sustained investments in women translate directly into stronger families, communities, and institutions.
Dr. Otakwu particularly lauded the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim fsi, for providing focused and energetic leadership that translated policy intent into tangible impact. He highlighted the nationwide expansion of the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) across all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, noting that the programme strengthened structured women groups, improved access to finance, and enhanced skills acquisition and livelihood opportunities for millions of women. He also referenced the rollout of the Happy Woman App and Happy Woman Platform, digital empowerment initiatives designed to connect women-owned micro and small enterprises to financing opportunities, business tools, mentorship, and capacity-building support. According to him, these interventions significantly strengthened women’s participation in the economy in 2025, with visible effects on household incomes, cooperative enterprises, and grassroots productivity.
Looking ahead, the civil society leader expressed strong optimism that 2026 will record even greater success, building on the solid foundation laid in the previous year. He projected expanded reach of women-focused empowerment programmes, deeper collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector, and improved monitoring mechanisms to ensure sustainability and inclusiveness. Dr. Otakwu stressed that with consistent political will and effective implementation, Nigeria is well positioned to further close gender gaps in economic participation and social opportunity in 2026. He reaffirmed the commitment of civil society organisations to support, monitor, and partner with relevant institutions to ensure that the gains of 2025 are consolidated and expanded for the benefit of women and the nation at large.
