The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called for concrete reforms to boost women’s participation in leadership across Nigeria’s political and financial sectors.
He made the appeal while speaking at the 3rd Gender Impact Investment Summit in Lagos, themed “Investing in Equity: Advancing Gender-Led Solutions for Inclusive Development.”
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Sanusi, who is also a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, stressed that advancing gender equity should be treated as common sense rather than charity. He highlighted that barriers preventing women from assuming leadership roles are often exaggerated or deliberately imposed and need to be removed.
The Emir suggested amending Nigeria’s constitution to include measures that promote gender diversity, such as reserving 30-40% of cabinet positions for women or rotating senatorial districts to enhance female representation.
Reflecting on his experience at the Central Bank, Sanusi noted reforms he introduced to increase women in leadership, including reducing eligibility requirements for promotions and appointing women to head critical departments. These efforts led to the appointment of female chief executives in nine banks and the launch of the “Year of Women in Banking” initiative, which set targets for female representation in recruitment, senior management, and boards.
Sanusi urged regulatory bodies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and National Insurance Commission, to enforce gender-disaggregated reporting by financial institutions to track lending to women-led enterprises. He also highlighted the need to address cultural challenges, pointing out that women who inherit farmland often lose economic returns due to traditional practices.
Chief Uche Geoffrey, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting women-inclusive growth and investment. Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Chair of the Impact Investors Foundation, praised the 10-year Gender Equity and Social Inclusion roadmap, aimed at mobilizing $8 billion in gender-inclusive capital to drive equitable economic growth in Nigeria.
