Udeme Ufot, the board chairman of the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC), has described the recently launched Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) policy roadmap as a clear signal by the Lagos State government to create an enabling environment for women.
The policy, which is anchored on five critical pillars of education and skill acquisition; traditional labour market; emerging industries; agriculture, and entrepreneurship, is aimed at supporting women to rise above societal and cultural limitations in business and other areas.
“Today’s event is not just a policy launch, but a significant milestone in our shared vision for a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society. It signals Lagos State’s clear commitment to creating an enabling environment where every woman has the opportunity to contribute fully and meaningfully to economic development,” Ufot stated.
He emphasised that the roadmap is a product of deep consultation and collaborative engagement with diverse women across the state, including women with disabilities, market traders, young innovators, elderly women, and leaders across the formal and informal sectors.
“This moment affirms what we have always believed at PIC: that transformative change is only possible when policy is rooted in reality, shaped by data, and driven by empathy,” Ufot stated, disclosing that the Policy Innovation Centre played a facilitative role in the development of the roadmap, ensuring that it reflected the lived experiences and aspirations of women across Lagos State.
He also assured the state government that the Policy Innovation Centre is ready to walk the journey with Lagos State by offering continuous support to ensure the policy roadmap becomes a living, breathing instrument of progress.
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, minister of Women Affairs, represented by Agness Abraham, decried the unfair representation of women in government, particularly in the National Assembly, and sought a reversal of the trend in the overall interest of the society.
Bolaji Cecilia Dada, commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Lagos State, outlined actionable strategies to drive and actualise the objectives of the policy. According to her, the policy roadmap includes expansion of women’s access to finance, digital platforms, market linkages, and entrepreneurial support.
Others are breaking down of gender stereotypes that inhibit women’s participation in high-growth and non-traditional industries, address socio-cultural and infrastructural limitations that restrict women’s progress, especially at the grassroots level.
She also disclosed that the policy seeks to empower women in the informal sector with tools, protections and capacity to operate sustainably, prioritise inclusion of vulnerable groups, including women living with disabilities, among others.
