Women must become business owners, not just beneficiaries — Minister

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has said Nigerian women must move beyond being beneficiaries of government interventions to becoming entrepreneurs, investors and owners of productive businesses as part of efforts to drive inclusive economic growth.

The minister stated this on Wednesday when she received a delegation from the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), led by the Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, in Abuja.

The meeting focused on preparations for the second edition of the “She’s Included” National Initiative, a Federal Government programme aimed at promoting women’s financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, digital skills, access to finance and economic participation.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the return of the initiative as evidence of its growing impact and national acceptance.

“The fact that we are witnessing a second edition of She’s Included is evidence of continuity and measurable impact. It demonstrates that we are on the right path towards building an inclusive economy where Nigerian women are not merely beneficiaries but active contributors to national development,” she said.

The minister commended Zauro for championing women’s economic inclusion, describing him as a “HeForShe” advocate, and stressed that Nigeria could not realise its economic potential while excluding women from opportunities for growth.

“No country has ever achieved its full potential by leaving half of its population behind. The Nigeria we envision is one where men and women work together to drive inclusion, prosperity and sustainable development,” she said.