A coalition, the Women in Leadership (WIL), has urged the Federal Government to introduce family-friendly workplace reforms, including stronger parental leave policies and increased representation of women in leadership.
It described them as essential to boosting Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness.
The coalition made the call during a strategic advocacy visit to the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, where it pressed for policy measures to remove barriers that continue to limit women’s full participation in the workforce.
The coalition noted that women in Nigeria shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities, contributing an estimated $111 billion worth of unpaid care work annually.
It argued that the country’s current labour laws, which provide only 12 weeks of maternity leave at 50 per cent pay and no paid paternity leave in the private sector, place an unfair burden on women and undermine their career progression.
According to the coalition, many women are forced to return to work before they have fully recovered from childbirth or abandon their careers altogether, resulting in the loss of experienced professionals, weaker leadership pipelines, and reduced economic productivity.
It maintained that strengthening parental leave policies by extending maternity leave and introducing paid paternity leave would enable more women to remain and thrive in the workforce while encouraging shared caregiving responsibilities.
The coalition also argued that increasing women’s representation in leadership positions is not only a matter of equity but a strategic investment that would improve productivity, talent retention and national competitiveness.
Chairperson and Founder of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), Amina Oyagbola, said gender inclusion should be viewed as an economic priority rather than merely a social issue.
“Gender inclusivity is not just a social issue. It is an economic imperative for Nigeria’s socio-economic development,” she said.
Also speaking, Anthonia Emetarom of WISCAR said supporting families through better workplace policies would deliver broader economic benefits.
“When families are supported, women can contribute fully to the economy, businesses thrive, and the economy grows,” she said.
Responding, Bala Usman reaffirmed the Presidency’s commitment to advancing gender equality.
She pointed out that the Federal Public Service already provides five months and two weeks of fully paid maternity leave, alongside two weeks of paid paternity leave.
She, however, acknowledged that such provisions are not consistently implemented in the private sector and encouraged continued advocacy to promote wider adoption of family-friendly workplace policies across the country.
On women’s representation in leadership, Bala Usman pledged to engage relevant federal agencies to determine the applicability of the Public Service Rules across government institutions.
She also promised to compile a list of federal parastatals and agencies to support evidence-based recommendations to the President aimed at increasing the number of women appointed to leadership positions.
