Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, reaffirmed President Tinubu’s strong commitment to women’s economic empowerment during a high-level panel at the World Bank Headquarters on Thursday. The event, which was part of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings, brought together global leaders to discuss innovative strategies for driving gender equality and fostering economic inclusion.

Addressing the panel, Mr. Edun emphasized the urgent need to expand women’s access to financial services, capital, and broadband internet in Nigeria and across the world. He linked these initiatives to Nigeria’s broader economic reforms and underscored the country’s alignment with global efforts to promote gender equity.

“Empowering women through financial inclusion is essential for unlocking their potential and driving economic growth,” Mr. Edun said. “Nigeria is fully committed to expanding women’s access to the financial tools they need to succeed, and we are proud to support global initiatives that share this vision.”

The Minister praised World Bank President Ajay Banga for his ambitious goal of connecting 80 million women to financial services, a key component of the World Bank’s strategy for gender equality. Mr. Edun noted that this initiative aligns with Nigeria’s ongoing reforms, which prioritize women’s financial access as critical to the country’s economic future.

“Nigeria is taking bold steps to ensure women are fully integrated into our economy, providing them with access to capital and financial services to start or grow their businesses,” Mr. Edun added.

The event highlighted the increasing collaboration between the World Bank and the IMF on gender-focused economic policies, with Nigeria playing a pivotal role in advancing these discussions across Africa.