The federal government has approved a technical committee to streamline a robust mechanism for the provision of financial education for women as part of measures to empower them.
Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, made the disclosure in Abuja, Thursday, at an event organised by the commission to commemorate the International Women’s Day.
The event had the theme, “Accelerate Action – Empowering Women Through Financial Literacy and Inclusion.”
At the National Assembly, the senate pledged to initiate legislations that would remove all barriers to the progress of women in the federation.
The upper chamber, according to a statement by its media office, made the pledge when it marked the International Women’s Day.
It also pledged to ensure a 35 per cent affirmative action for women in the National Assembly and all governance processes consistent with the country’s National Gender Policy (NGP) and United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
SIFAX Group, also on Thursday, empowered 500 female students through training, mentorship, and donation of essential supplies, including sanitary pads and educational materials, to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025.
This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action”, highlights the importance of investing in girls’ education and fostering future female leaders.
The outreach programme held at Apapa Senior High School, Lagos, featured motivational talks from senior female executives at SIFAX Group, who shared their career journeys, emphasising resilience, hard work, and the importance of education.
The SEC event to commemorate the International Women’s Day was co-sponsored by United Capital Asset Management Limited and Stanbic IBTC Asset Management. It witnessed the convergence of financial leaders and various women groups committed to advancing financial education and empowerment.
Describing women as pillars of the nation because of the very critical roles they played at all levels, Agama said the day was important as women were the ones to move the capital market to the next level.
He said, “What do we do in the capital market? We do so much, distribution of wealth. Every woman that has N10 makes sure she multiplies that N10 to N50. That is the nature of a woman.
“The objective of this government is to empower women; we must educate women and we will bring them to the fore of national recognition when it comes to the capital market.
“I also speak about the vulnerabilities of women, most of the ponzi schemes that we have in Nigeria, majority of the victims of these schemes are women, and the reason is very simple-the woman’s heart is empathetic.
“All that she thinks about is how to help her family; how to grow the provision of her family; that is all she thinks about.
“She thinks about her children, she thinks about her husband, she thinks about her father, she thinks about her mother. These are practical issues that we all are facing as we live our lives in this country.
“And so, it is very important why we speak about stock market and the ability to multiply investor and to grow investors and we also talk about the commodity market especially the stock commodity. we speak about the women.
“So, here we are celebrating the International Women’s Day, we want to provide enlightenment that the capital market can be of help to you and how it becomes of help to you?”
Agama stated that as part of SEC’s partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs to provide financial education for women free of charge, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, had approved a technical committee in that regard.
While commending the minister for the partnership between SEC and her ministry, Agama said this would help in providing financial education for women.
In her address on the occasion, Sulaiman-Ibrahim solicited for an urgent and decisive action by all stakeholders to enthrone the empowerment of Nigerians through financial inclusion and literacy.
The minister commended SEC for its pioneering efforts in championing women’s financial inclusion and literacy.
“This year’s theme, ‘Accelerate Action,’ is more than a slogan; it’s a call to all of us to turn conversations into concrete actions,” she said.
The minister stressed the transformative power of financial knowledge, explaining that financial literacy is not just about understanding money but about providing women with the tools to make informed decisions that affect their future.
She stated, “When women are financially literate, they have the power to influence their own economic destiny, secure their families’ future, and become change-makers in society.
“However, despite the growing role of women in driving Nigeria’s economy, the minister pointed out that many Nigerian women still face significant barriers to accessing financial resources and participating fully in the economy.
“These barriers include limited access to credit, exclusion from formal financial systems, and susceptibility to fraudulent schemes. As a result, the minister emphasised the need for urgent action to address these challenges.
“The federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has set an ambitious goal to empower 10 million women by 2027 as part of its broader strategy to transform Nigeria into a $1tn economy by 2030.”
The minister stated that Nigerian women were already a driving force in the economy, owning around 40 per cent of small businesses in the country, a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit and resilience.
In response to the challenges women face, the minister outlined key initiatives aimed at promoting women’s financial empowerment.
She highlighted the need to increase financial literacy among women, equipping them with the knowledge to make informed decisions about savings, investments, and wealth creation.
She also emphasised the importance of improving access to secure financial products tailored to women’s unique needs, including loans and investment opportunities.
The minister underscored the necessity of strengthening protection for women against financial exploitation, fraudulent and Ponzi schemes, which many women are vulnerable to.
Earlier, in her goodwill message, Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services, SEC, Mrs. Samiya Hassan-Usman, said the commission was committed to ensuring that women have access to financial education, investment opportunities, the right support to grow and protect their businesses, as well as secure their future.
At the federal legislative legislature, President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, spoke at a three-day programme organised to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day.
The 2025 International Women’s Day programme, themed, “Economic and Political Inclusion: Walk the Talk,” was organised to galvanise collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity in the country.
The event was attended by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jubrin Barau; Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; and Minister for Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman -Ibrahim.
The three-day programme was facilitated by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Public Hearing and Events, Ms. Munis Abisola and Director of Media & Public Affairs, Ms. Tabitha I. Sallah.
Akpabio said that the lawmakers would remove all obstacles to the socio-economic progress of women and gender equality in the federation.
He said, “We are discussing how women will have a solid stay not only in the National Assembly, but also in the country. We will do all we can to promote gender equality in this country even if it means to amend or tinker with the 1999 Constitution.
“Credible evidence has shown that women are better managers the world over. Sometimes, they can work harder than men. We must go back to where we have women in all spheres of life contributing to our collective progress and prosperity.
“We must, also, decisively condemn all issues of sexual harassment that are not founded. At the 10th National Assembly, we will promote legislation that will ensure 35% affirmative action in the country.”
Akpabio highlighted how he promoted women’s cause when he served as the governor of Akwa-Ibom State between 2007 and 2015.
He said his record for women development was still evident.
The women affairs minister, Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She disclosed how the President increased the budget of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs by 1000 per cent.
She said: “We have done so well as women in this country. We have women in society in different sectors of the country. We should continue to work on ourselves to promote initiatives that will further entrench women progress and gender equality.”
Sallah commended the National Assembly for diverse pro-women legislations, calling both chambers of the National Assembly to expedite action on all the pending gender parity issues currently before the National Assembly.
The minister chaired the organising committee.
She said: “It is a reminder of the urgent need to expedite efforts on all pending gender parity issues. While we celebrate the progress made so far, we must also recognise that there is still much work to be done.
“The time to act is now. The time to ensure that every woman has access to opportunities, resources, and a voice in decision-making is now. The time to create a world where no woman is left behind is now.
“The year celebration is a celebration of resilience, strength, and the limitless potential of women.
“Again, it is also a reminder that our work is far from over until we begin to put into action the talks on the subject of the Beijing Declaration about 30 years ago,” she said.
On the part of SIFAX, Catherine Abuah, Group Head Marketing recalled her own background, saying that education is not a scam.
Her words: “Education opens doors, breaks the cycle of poverty, and empowers girls to shape their futures,” she stated encouraging the girls to pursue knowledge, work diligently, and uphold strong values.
“Your dreams are achievable through dedication and integrity.”
She reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to empowering young girls, and recognising that investing in their education today paves the way for a brighter, more equitable future
A key session focused on breaking gender barriers and achieving financial independence, where students raised questions about cultural expectations and the role of ethics in success.
Other speakers addressed concerns about whether connections or unethical practices are necessary to advance; the speakers were clear.
“Integrity and hard work will take you far. You do not need to compromise your values to succeed,” they said.
The Head Nurse, Sifax Group, Juliet Eges, who spoke on menstrual hygiene management, offered practical guidance on self-care and debunking common myths.
She emphasised the need for open conversations about menstrual health to reduce stigma and empower girls to manage their well-being confidently.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the students, Omotunde Olufunmilayo, the school’s Head Girl, commended the organisation for the opportunity.
“The lessons on self-care, resilience, and education have inspired me to dream bigger and believe in myself.
Thank you for making us feel special, investing in our future, and reminding us that we are strong, valuable, and capable of making a difference,” she said.
Ndubuisi Francis, Sunday Aborisade and Funmi Ogundare
