•Hadiza Bala Usman
The Women in Leadership (WIL) Coalition has called on the federal government to introduce stronger family-friendly workplace policies and increase women’s representation in leadership, arguing that both reforms are critical to accelerating Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness.
The coalition made the call during a strategic advocacy visit to the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, urging the Presidency to champion reforms that would remove barriers to women’s participation and advancement in the workforce, reports The Nation.
The WIL Coalition is an alliance comprising the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN), Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), and Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR).
The coalition identified inadequate parental leave policies and low female representation in decision-making positions as major obstacles to women’s economic participation, noting that Nigerian women shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care work valued at an estimated $111 billion annually.
It observed that Nigeria’s labour laws currently provide only 12 weeks of maternity leave at 50 per cent pay, while offering no paid paternity leave in the private sector, a situation it said forces many women to return to work before fully recovering or to abandon their careers altogether.
According to the coalition, strengthening parental leave policies by extending maternity leave and introducing paid paternity leave would improve talent retention, promote shared caregiving responsibilities, and strengthen Nigeria’s leadership pipeline.
Chairperson and Founder of the Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), Amina Oyagbola, said gender inclusion should be viewed as an economic strategy rather than merely a social issue.
“Gender inclusivity is not just a social issue. It is an economic imperative for Nigeria’s socio-economic development,” she said.
The coalition also advocated a minimum of 35 per cent representation for women on corporate boards and in the executive management of listed companies, as well as in federal and state cabinets.
Speaking during the meeting, Hauwa Haliru pointed to Kwara State as evidence that the target is achievable.
“Kwara State has already exceeded the 35% women in political leadership benchmark, demonstrating that meaningful progress is achievable through deliberate political commitment and leadership,” she said.
Also speaking, Anthonia Emetarom of the Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN) stressed the importance of supporting families to enable women to contribute fully to national development.
“When families are supported, women can contribute fully to the economy, businesses thrive, and the economy grows,” she said.
Highlighting the role of solidarity among women, Oyagbola referenced the recent Nigerian Bar Association election.
“During the NBA election, women came together and voted for a female president, and she won. If women actively support each other, they would be able to move the needle themselves,” she said.
To improve women’s participation in the economy, the coalition proposed three priority reforms: introducing a national minimum of 16 weeks of fully paid maternity leave and 14 days of paid paternity leave; ensuring at least 35 per cent female representation on corporate boards and in the executive management of listed companies; and guaranteeing at least 35 per cent female representation in federal and state cabinets.
The coalition said the proposals were both practical and achievable, citing the Federal Capital Territory’s parental leave policy and family-friendly workplace practices already adopted by some private-sector organisations.
Executive Director of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), Mrs. Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, urged the government to encourage wider private-sector adoption of enhanced parental leave policies.
“To accelerate the implementation of these policies, the government can deploy executive incentives to encourage private-sector adoption of enhanced family-friendly workplace practices, including 16 weeks of maternity leave and 14 days of paternity leave,” she said.
Responding, Bala Usman reaffirmed the presidency’s commitment to advancing gender equality, noting that the Federal Public Service already provides five months and two weeks of fully paid maternity leave, as well as two weeks of paid paternity leave.
She, however, acknowledged that such provisions are not consistently available in the private sector and encouraged sustained advocacy to promote broader adoption of family-friendly workplace policies.
On women’s representation, Bala Usman pledged to engage relevant federal agencies to clarify the applicability of the Public Service Rules across government institutions and to compile data on federal parastatals and agencies to support evidence-based recommendations to the president on increasing the number of women appointed to leadership positions.
The coalition maintained that family-friendly workplace policies and greater representation of women in leadership should be treated as national economic priorities, insisting that they are essential to improving productivity, retaining skilled talent and strengthening Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness.
