Inclusive Investment in Vulnerable Women Critical to Nigeria’s $1tn Economy Goal – Uzoka-Anite

Inclusive Investment in Vulnerable Women Critical to Nigeria’s $1tn Economy Goal – Uzoka-Anite

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria’s ambition to build a one-trillion-dollar economy will remain incomplete without deliberate investment in vulnerable women and girls, Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Doris Uzoka-Anite, has said.

The minister stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a symposium organised to commemorate the 2026 edition of International Women’s Day and Women’s Month, where stakeholders called for stronger policies to address the challenges facing women with special needs across the country.

Speaking at the event themed “Rights, Justice, Action for Women & Girls With Special Needs in Nigeria: Exploring Strategies & Approaches for Acceleration and Impacts,” Uzoka-Anite stressed that targeted support for vulnerable women is not merely a social welfare responsibility but a strategic economic investment.

According to her, women living with HIV, persons with disabilities, elderly women and internally displaced persons remain among the most excluded groups in development planning despite their potential to contribute significantly to economic growth.

She explained that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is shifting Nigeria’s public finance framework from traditional expenditure-based budgeting to investment-driven planning aimed at producing measurable economic outcomes.

The minister said the proposed National Development Plan for 2026–2030 would prioritise inclusive growth as Nigeria works toward building a $1 trillion economy.

Uzoka-Anite noted that when vulnerable women receive economic opportunities and protection from violence, the impact extends beyond individuals to families and communities.

“When an internally displaced woman receives livelihood support and security, she does not remain dependent. She becomes a trader, an entrepreneur and a pillar for rebuilding her family and community,” she said.

She added that inclusive policies generate stronger economic returns and represent one of the most efficient uses of public resources.

According to her, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning is strengthening gender-responsive and disability-inclusive planning within Nigeria’s national development framework, while also introducing systems to track whether government spending reaches the most vulnerable populations.

Earlier, the Representative to UN Women and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, said the event was designed to spotlight women whose struggles are often overlooked in policy formulation.

She noted that women facing multiple forms of vulnerability—such as those living with HIV, women with disabilities and internally displaced women—frequently experience overlapping discrimination driven by poverty, stigma and social exclusion.

Also speaking, the Country Director of UNAIDS in Nigeria, Boonto Krittayawa, warned that progress toward gender equality remains slow globally and requires stronger political commitment.

She pointed to persistent gaps in political representation, economic participation and access to opportunities for women, stressing the need for targeted investments and legal reforms to accelerate progress.

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by her Special Assistant, Princess Joan Jumai, said the government is strengthening programmes designed to address the needs of women facing multiple layers of discrimination.

She highlighted initiatives such as the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774, which aims to expand social protection and economic empowerment for vulnerable women across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

In her remarks, Acting Deputy Representative of UN Women in Nigeria, Patience Ekeoba, said the symposium provided a platform for women with special needs to share their experiences and influence policies affecting them.

She added that the meeting would conclude with a communiqué outlining key challenges and policy recommendations aimed at strengthening protection, inclusion and economic participation for vulnerable women across the country.

Inclusive Investment in Vulnerable Women Critical to Nigeria’s $1tn Economy Goal – Uzoka-Anite