BudgIT, a civic tech organisation raising the standards of transparency, accountability, and service delivery in the Nigerian government and governance, has charged subnational governments in the country to adopt and implement the National Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy and Action Plan, a policy designed to boost economic progress for women in Nigeria.
The civil advocacy noted that while Kaduna State had commenced implementation, 11 states, namely Akwa Ibom, Borno, Cross River, Edo, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba, were currently domesticating the policy, seven other states, including Adamawa, Benue, Imo, Niger, Ogun, Oyo and Zamfara, had signalled interest; just as 17 others, comprising Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Sokoto and Yobe, were yet to take action.
BudgIT made this call as part of its partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other civil society organisations under the Nigeria WEE Policy Catalyst Fund project, designed to accelerate state-level action on women’s economic inclusion.
It stated that currently in its socialisation phase, the WEE Policy and Action Plan aimed to enhance women’s economic participation nationwide, adding that as part of its efforts, it has developed and disseminated a detailed Policy Memo to all 36 State Governors, State Houses of Assembly, and State Ministries of Women Affairs.
BudgIT stated that the memo identified critical gaps in women’s economic participation, offered tailored recommendations, and emphasized the importance of mainstreaming gender-responsive policies across states.
Specifically, it described the Policy Memo as a strategic tool designed to encourage states to develop targeted interventions, implement necessary reforms, and integrate Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) principles into their development planning. It also emphasises the urgent need to institutionalise monitoring frameworks that track progress toward gender-equitable economic outcomes.
Commenting on the WEE Policy implementation by his organization, BudgIT’s Country Director, Gabriel Okeowo, emphasised that domestication at the subnational level can address disparities in employment, education, and social norms by promoting gender-responsive budgeting, creating pathways for skill development, and expanding access to credit and financial services for women entrepreneurs.
The civil activist said: “Subnational implementation of the WEE Policy is essential for closing gender gaps in employment, access to finance, and economic mobility. With gender-responsive budgeting, skills development programs, and financial inclusion measures, state governments can unlock the economic potential of millions of Nigerian women. This isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s an economic strategy for shared prosperity and resilience.”
To improve gender equality, boost economic opportunities, and provide social support for women, BudgIT stressed that states must adopt a comprehensive approach that takes into account the distinct needs and challenges in each region and also charged the media, civil society organisations, development partners, and citizens to actively advocate for the policy’s adoption at the state level.
