2025 THE FOUNDER’S ADDRESS: ANNUAL LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING CONFERENCE
It is my profound honour and great joy to welcome you to the 2025 WISCAR Annual Leadership and Mentoring Conference.
For seventeen years, WISCAR has mentored, inspired, and equipped women to lead with purpose, character, and impact. This conference is our annual moment of reflection, celebration, and re-commitment to gender justice, gender equity and gender inclusion.
This year’s theme — “Claiming Our Future: Women in Leadership and Policy Transformation” — is a bold call to action. It invites us not just to participate in shaping Nigeria’s tomorrow, but to redesign it intentionally, courageously, and collaboratively to overcome patriarchy, violence, poverty and ensure diversity and inclusion in leadership and participation in decision making
Why Gender Equity Matters — The Evidence & the Imperative
Nigeria stands at an inflection point. Demographically, economically, and politically, this is a decisive moment. This year marks 30 years post the Beijing 1995 Declaration – when governments globally pledged to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, embed gender equality across all structures of society and achieve women’s equal representation in positions of decision-making power.
And the data tells a powerful story.
According to Afrobarometer, the leading Pan-African source of high -quality data on what Africans are thinking:
- 61% of Nigerians believe women should have the same chance as men to be elected to public office.
- Around 53% support equal rights to jobs and paid employment.
- 51% support equal access to land and property.
However, in practice, fewer than half believe women enjoy these rights — a clear signal that structural barriers persist.
Why does this matter?
Because gender inclusion is not only a matter of social justice — it is a driver of national development, economic prosperity, and institutional resilience.
Gender Inclusion and Economic Returns
Global evidence shows that:
- Closing gender gaps in labour force participation could add up to USD 28 trillion to global GDP.
- African economies could grow GDP by up to USD 316 billion by 2030 by increasing women’s participation in the economy.
- Companies with gender-diverse leadership are more profitable, more innovative, and better governed.
In Nigeria, the pathway to sustainable economic transformation runs directly through women’s full participation in the workforce, in leadership, in governance, and in policy spaces.
Alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals
Our work at WISCAR directly advances:
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Gender equality is not a standalone aspiration — it is a multiplier SDG, influencing national competitiveness, poverty reduction, human capital outcomes, and social stability.
If Nigeria is to achieve the 2030 Agenda, gender inclusion must be a central pillar, not a peripheral conversation.
Women’s Leadership – State of Representation in Nigeria
Today, women occupy:
- Less than 10% of elective offices nationwide
- 16.7% of federal cabinet positions
- 4.2% of seats in the National Assembly (4 Senators, 17 HoR)
- Only 2 out of 36 states, Kwara and Kaduna have gender-balanced EXCOs
Nigeria has never had a female Governor, Vice President or indeed President. The giant of Africa is lagging other countries on the continent and needs to urgently change this narrative. Namibia and Tanzania have female Presidents with women fully represented in key cabinet and legislative positions. Ethiopia, Mauritius, Malawi and Liberia have all had female Presidents. Our Distinguished WISCAR Awardee, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf opened the door and the rest as they say is history.
In the private sector, we see encouraging progress:
Women now hold 31.1% of board seats across the NGX30, and all boards now include at least one woman. Yet, only 10% of these boards are chaired by women.
These figures show both progress and the long road ahead. They also show that when there is intent, policy, and accountability progress follows.
2025 WISCAR Highlights & Impact
WIN-with-WISCAR Mentoring Programmes
We have continued to focus on developing women through our transformative mentorship programmes. This year, we inducted an additional 120 women across the WIN 1, 2 and 3 programmes — a 140% increase from last year, bringing the total reach of our programmes in 2025 to 17,400 women. We are proud to note that these professional women are stepping confidently into executive and board leadership across corporate, public, and civic sectors.
Career Series & Meet-A-WISCAR Webinars
Over 1,000 participants actively engaged with our workshops and webinars, including dedicated sessions with HP, and ARM Pensions, helping to build inclusive leadership pipelines.
Women-in-Law Mentoring Programme(WILMP)
With the support of the Gates Foundation and in partnership with FIDA Nigeria and the NBA, we mentored 200 mid-career women lawyers across Lagos, Abuja and Kano in the WISCAR Women In Law Mentoring Programme.
The 2025 WISCAR WILMP Needs Assessment Report — another first, is now informing and influencing sector-wide reforms on women’s progression in the legal profession.
Today, we will celebrate the graduation of the first 100 mentees from WILMP. Courageous and brilliant women shaping the future of justice in Nigeria.
Strategic Collaborations
In 2025, we broadened and expanded our mentorship impact into workplaces through CHI Limited. We empowered creatives through the Canon Women Who Empower Project, and institutionalised mentorship in leadership development through a strategic partnership with Lagos Business School.
Beyond programmes, as part of the Nigerian Women in Leadership Coalition, alongside WIMBIZ, WILAN, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, WISCAR advanced the Coalition’s shared advocacy priorities through a high-level engagement with the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment. More on these to be announced later
WISCAR Mentoring Book
The WISCAR Mentoring Book a legacy document distilled from 17 years of experience is now being adopted by organisations nationwide.
A reading hosted by the British Deputy High Commission and our strategic collaboration with CIPM amplify its national significance.
Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Education has formally endorsed the WISCAR Mentoring Book for general readership in areas related to business and mentorship for people aged 15 and above; a testament to its value as a national learning resource and talent development tool.
WISCAR Awards
Today, WISCAR is proud to formally announce the establishment of the
Ambassador Abdullahi & Amina Atta HeForShe Award for Integrity, Leadership, and Allyship.
This Award will be presented annually to a distinguished male Ally who actively promotes gender equity by leveraging their power and influence to give women access to leadership opportunities.
We also announce that the 2025 Professor Grace Alele-Williams Alumni Impact Award will be presented later today to an extraordinary WISCAR alumna whose work exemplifies service, courage, and transformative leadership.
Gratitude & Appreciation
Finally, my heartfelt appreciation goes to our Patrons, Advisory Board, Board committees members, Mentors, Mentees, Faculty, Partners, Donors, and Sponsors. I especially thank Ebony Life for graciously making their premises available to us to graduate our mentees.
To the 2025 Conference Planning and Fundraising Committee, led by Tokunboh George-Taylor and Bukola Smith, thank you for your incredible dedication and tiress efforts.
To our Board Committee Chairs and members — especially Funke Amobi and Titi Akisanya — your commitment is invaluable.
And to our Secretariat, led by our Executive Secretary, Ekemini Akpakpan, thank you for your hard work and dedication to the WISCAR ideal.
Closing: Claiming Our Future
As we move towards 2030 — the global SDG deadline — let us remember:
The future will not happen to us.
We must shape it.
We must claim it.
We must enroll male Alllies
Let us continue mentoring with intention.
Advocating with courage.
Leading with conviction.
Let us build a Nigeria where gender equity is not exceptional — but expected and reflects the strength of our nation and its people.
Not aspirational — but foundational.
Not delayed — but realised for our collective development and prosperity.
Thank you.
Amina Oyagbola, FCIoD, FCIPD, FCIPM, FCIMC
Founder & Chairperson, WISCAR