By: Sophina Ovuike, Abuja
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the Inclusive Network for Supporting Progressive Leadership, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women (INSPIRE), an initiative aimed at promoting women’s participation and leadership within the Federal Civil Service.
The initiative was unveiled on Thursday during the 2026 International Civil Service Conference held at Eagle Square, Abuja, with the theme: “Reforms, Resilience and Results.”
Speaking at the event, Senator Tinubu described INSPIRE as a strategic platform designed to advance inclusion, innovation, fairness and professional growth for women across all cadres of the Civil Service.
She commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for championing reforms and inclusive leadership within the public sector.
According to the First Lady, women have continued to contribute significantly to national development through their roles as administrators, professionals, technical officers and managers, often serving with dedication and discipline.
She, however, noted that more efforts are needed to ensure greater representation of women in leadership and decision-making positions.
“INSPIRE is timely and crucial because it is geared towards providing stronger workplace participation and efficiency,” she said.
Tinubu linked the initiative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that empowering women would strengthen institutions, improve governance and enhance service delivery.
She also emphasized the importance of mentoring women early in their careers, noting that future national leaders could emerge from today’s young civil servants.
“A young officer who is properly mentored today may become the Permanent Secretary, Head of Service, Minister or a national leader tomorrow,” she stated.
The First Lady urged female civil servants to pursue excellence, embrace innovation and digital skills, and support one another, while encouraging male counterparts to uphold fairness, respect and equal opportunities in the workplace.
She added that the long-term success of INSPIRE would depend on sustained mentorship, collaboration and leadership development across the Civil Service.
Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described INSPIRE as a major institutional reform initiative aimed at deepening gender inclusion and national development.
She observed that although women make up a large percentage of the Federal Civil Service workforce, their presence declines significantly at higher levels of decision-making.
“The higher the level of decision-making, the thinner their representation becomes,” the minister said, attributing the gap to longstanding structural barriers.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that institutions perform better when workers are guaranteed dignity, safety, equal opportunities and professional fulfilment.
She identified maternity protection, workplace safety, childcare support, mental health and zero tolerance for harassment as essential pillars for a modern and efficient public service.
The minister further revealed that women’s economic exclusion costs Nigeria up to 37 per cent in productivity losses, noting that achieving the Federal Government’s one trillion dollar economy target would require deliberate investment in women’s leadership and empowerment.
According to her, INSPIRE aligns with the National Gender Policy (2021–2026) and the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy (2023–2028), serving as a practical framework for translating policy into action.
She outlined key commitments required for the success of the initiative, including the implementation of the six-month maternity leave policy, establishment of workplace crèches, enforcement of anti-harassment policies, gender-responsive budgeting, implementation of the 30 per cent affirmative procurement policy, and structured mentorship and succession planning for women.
The minister pledged the support of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development towards the successful implementation of INSPIRE through policy leadership, technical support and institutional partnerships.
She also commended President Tinubu for fostering an enabling environment for reforms that promote women’s inclusion and leadership in governance.
The INSPIRE initiative is expected to provide a platform for mentorship, innovation, collaboration and leadership development for women in Nigeria’s public service.(National Ambassador)
