Nigeria’s push for gender equality and inclusive growth received a major boost on Friday as global partners, government officials, and development advocates renewed commitments to women’s health, empowerment, and political participation at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025 in Abuja.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria, claiming over 8,000 lives annually, according to WHO data.
The Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025, organised by the Policy Innovation Centre and NESG, has become a leading platform for addressing Nigeria’s gender gaps in health, education, and governance.
This year’s edition focused on inclusive growth, adolescent health, and women’s political participation, amid growing concerns about widening inequality and declining funding for women-centred programmes.
Experts say the success of the campaign – with 14 million already vaccinated – represents one of the largest public health interventions in Africa and could reduce cervical cancer deaths by up to 70% in the coming decades.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, revealed that over 14 million girls had been immunised against the Human Papillomavirus, the primary cause of cervical cancer in women.
“In October 2023, the Federal Government rolled out routine HPV vaccination for girls aged 9–14 as a preventive measure against cervical cancer.
“Led by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, we have immunised more than 14 million girls, covering about 96 per cent of the targeted population,” Salako said.
He applauded the Policy Innovation Centre and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group for convening the summit, stressing that adolescent health and wellbeing must remain a national priority.
“Let us ensure that this dialogue is more than a conversation.
“Our joint aspiration should be to build a Nigeria where every adolescent, regardless of gender, background, or circumstance, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to national development,” he said.
The gathering also attracted global attention as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a landmark $2.5bn investment in women’s health through 2030.
PUNCH Online reports that the $2.5bn pledge by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the most significant investments in women’s health in recent years and is expected to catalyse additional funding from governments and development partners.
The Foundation’s Deputy Director of Programme Advocacy and Communications, Ekenem Isichei, said the fund would accelerate research and development in women’s health while encouraging co-investment from other partners.
“Our goal is to leverage our knowledge and capital to enable the government to best serve its people.
“This means ensuring budget commitments for key health innovations, streamlining donor coordination, and operationalising national development plans at the state level,” Isichei said.
She warned that funding for maternal and child health in Nigeria had dropped by 67 per cent, cautioning that progress could be reversed without urgent intervention.
“The success of Nigeria’s development depends on its ability to include women in its recovery.
“When 70 per cent of Nigeria’s poorest are women, we cannot ignore their unique experiences in climbing out of poverty,” she said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, decried women’s low political representation, describing their current 4.2 per cent share of parliamentary seats as unacceptable.
“True democracy is about equitable representation,” Tuggar said, calling for legal reforms to dismantle systemic barriers to women’s participation and rights.
The summit also marked the start of a new international partnership, as Nigeria and Mexico pledged to collaborate on gender equality and inclusion.
The Mexican Ambassador to Nigeria, Alfredo Miranda, said empowering women was both a moral imperative and a smart economic strategy, citing Mexico’s recent achievement of constitutional parity in elected positions.
“Mexico stands ready to walk this path alongside Nigeria, through cooperation, shared experiences, and mutual respect”, he said.
