ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal Government has announced notable gains in promoting gender equality and combating gender-based violence (GBV) through a World Bank-supported initiative, the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP).
Launched in 2023 with $540 million in funding, the NFWP has already empowered over 400,000 rural women, provided access to supportive infrastructure and legal services, and mobilised communities to address GBV through evidence-based approaches .
Central to the project’s success has been the establishment of gender dialogue groups, forums where men and women share on topics like joint decision-making and household budgeting—and training local responders to support survivors, in line with World Bank best practices on GBV interventions .
The project also features cutting-edge data-tracking mechanisms such as the National GBV Data Situation Room and Dashboard, managed by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs with support from UNDP and the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative. Launched in 2020 and scaled to all 36 states by 2022, the platform now provides real-time insights into GBV trends, helping government and service providers identify hotspots and streamline responses .
According to the 2025 Womanity Index, three states are leading (“Advancing”), eleven are “Performing” well, while most others are “Evolving” due to the emerging nature of these new initiatives .
Also, Honourable Minister of Women’s Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim announced plans to expand Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) to 47 across 22 states and the FCT, and strengthen implementation of key laws like the Child Rights Act and VAPP Act .
The Federal Government has called on state governments, development partners, and the private sector to fully deploy the NFWP model, including female economic empowerment, GBV prevention and response, and digital tracking tools, to accelerate gender equality and safeguard female citizens .
