WOMEN’S HEALTH INVESTMENT KEY TO $1TN ECONOMIC TARGET – FG
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
The Federal Government has emphasised that investing in women’s health is essential to achieving Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a $1tn economy, stressing that the wellbeing of women must be prioritised as a foundation for sustainable development.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, made this known at the inaugural Her Health, Her Power Conference Africa 2026, organised by the VickyHeldan Empowerment Foundation in Abuja.
Themed “Leading with Wellness for a Sustainable Africa,” the conference brought together stakeholders from the health, development, business, media and humanitarian sectors to deliberate on women’s health, empowerment and leadership.
According to a statement issued by the foundation on Monday, the minister, who was represented by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women’s Development, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, said Nigeria’s economic aspirations could not be realised without prioritising women’s health.
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“If we are serious about a $1 trillion Nigerian economy, then investing in women’s health is not optional. It is foundational,” Suleiman-Ibrahim said.
She said the Federal Government was strengthening policies and institutional frameworks aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment, gender equality, family development and protection.
The minister also called for stronger partnerships among government, the private sector, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to improve health outcomes for women.
She commended the founder of the VickyHeldan Empowerment Foundation, Dr Victory Njoku, for creating a platform that enables stakeholders to develop commitments towards improving women’s health and empowerment.
Suleiman-Ibrahim, however, urged participants to go beyond discussions by converting ideas generated at the conference into measurable actions and tangible outcomes.
Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, also emphasised the connection between women’s health and economic development, urging political leaders and policymakers to pay greater attention to women’s access to healthcare and education.
“Now, it is key not to separate women’s health from economic growth,” Amaechi said.
Reflecting on his tenure as Rivers governor, he said his administration established health centres in every village, with each facility staffed by a medical doctor and two nurses. He added that the administration also provided N10,000 incentives to women who attended antenatal care.
Amaechi said political decisions had direct implications for women, urging leaders to transform communities by providing hospitals, health centres and other facilities capable of improving the quality of life of women and families.
The convener of the conference, Njoku, said the initiative was created to advance women’s health across Africa by bringing together women, innovators, healthcare practitioners and advocates.
She said the foundation would extend the campaign beyond the conference through community-based outreach programmes focusing on maternal health, reproductive healthcare, mental wellness, education and leadership.
Njoku expressed optimism that the initiative would expand beyond Nigeria into a broader African platform, while encouraging women to take their rightful place in conversations and decisions concerning their health, development and wellbeing.
Participants at the conference included healthcare practitioners, entrepreneurs, public health professionals, advocates, media practitioners and other stakeholders from across the development sector.
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