From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In a significant push to tackle gender inequalities in Nigeria’s agriculture sector, Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has officially launched a national capacity-building workshop targeting women engaged in the agro-value chain.
The launch of this landmark initiative marks a new chapter in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, where inclusion, investment, and innovation for women are now deemed essential for national growth.
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The three-day programme, running from August 27 to 29, 2025, is a key component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is held in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Speaking at the opening ceremony in Abuja, Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the initiative as “a turning point” for gender equity in Nigeria’s agricultural industry. She underscored women’s crucial but often undervalued role, stating, “Women make up 70% of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce and produce 80% of our total agro-output. Yet, they earn 30% less, and only 10% own farmland or have access to agricultural financing. This exclusion may not always be deliberate, but it is real—and it ends now.”
Central to this effort is the Women Agro Value Expansion (WAVE) Initiative, an ambitious programme designed to empower 10 million women by equipping them with practical skills in greenhouse farming, homestead gardening, post-harvest storage, financial literacy, and agribusiness development. The initiative aims to transform women from passive participants to key drivers in Nigeria’s food systems.
“Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, women are no longer seen as passive beneficiaries. They are recognized as primary drivers of national transformation,” the Minister added.
The workshop also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Women Affairs and the OIC, solidifying their joint commitment to advancing women’s empowerment in agriculture. Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, Assistant Secretary-General of the OIC, reaffirmed the Organisation’s dedication to collaborating with Nigeria to promote women’s empowerment and food security within the Muslim world.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim praised private sector partner Mutual Commitment Company (MCC) for its pivotal role in the WAVE Consortium. “Your collaboration is a blueprint for others,” she stated.
Marking 30 years since the establishment of the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Beijing Platform for Action, the Minister called on Nigerian women to seize the opportunities presented. “The policies are being reformed, the support systems are growing—but the real transformation lies in your hands,” she said.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim concluded by reaffirming the Ministry’s dedication to positioning women as leaders and innovators in Nigeria’s agri-food systems. “Your success is Nigeria’s success,” she said.
On the sidelines, Chairman of WAVE, Shittu Kabir, described the programme as a game-changer that would help women adopt modern farming techniques, build profitable agribusinesses, and develop sustainable value chains from farm to market. “This is about transforming agriculture into a pathway for women’s economic independence,” he said.
For participants such as Dinatu Sani from Abuja Municipal Area Council, the training offered valuable new skills. “I have been farming ginger and groundnuts since childhood, but I only sell them raw without processing or packaging. This workshop is teaching me how to add value and earn more,” she shared, expressing gratitude to President Tinubu and Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim for prioritising rural women farmers.
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