As Nigeria joins rest of the world to mark the 2025 International Day of Women, IWD, SightSavers, Thursday, called for equal employment opportunities of women and men in Nigeria that could boost the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, by 8.4 per cent.
The 2025 IWD’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, which the Country Director, SightSavers Nigeria, Joy Shu’aibu, said the gender gap in employment in Nigeria is 8.4 per cent, and also there is lack of access to resources.
Meanwhile, Shu’aibu also asserted that if women were employed at the same rate as men, Nigeria’s GDP per capita would increase by 8.4%; from USD 1,596 to USD 1,730. This is equivalent in an increase by at least N200,000 per capita today.
According to a World Bank report, global failure to close the gender employment gap could be costing some countries up to a fifth of their potential income. The report highlights that three quarters of the total gains of closing this gap would be felt almost immediately, with the rest taking a generation.
On International Women’s Day (8 March) and as global women and disability meetings approach, Sightsavers is calling for urgent action to boost women’s access to employment, especially those with disabilities, who face multiple barriers to financial independence.
She said: “In Nigeria the gender gap in employment is 8.4%. Lack of access to resources, and workplace barriers continue to exclude millions of women, particularly those with disabilities, from economic opportunities. The combined impact of disability and gender discrimination creates multiple, overlapping barriers that push women with disabilities into extreme poverty.
“We urge global leaders gathering at the upcoming 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) and the Global Disability Summit (GDS) to commit to disability-inclusive approaches that could unlock billions in economic potential while advancing gender equality.”
Sightsavers works to make sure women can access health services. Its programmes also transform the lives of women with disabilities, helping them to gain skills and build their confidence so they can get a job or start or grow a business.
The difference that can be made on an individual level can be seen in Tokoni who took part in the Sightsavers-led IT Bridge Academy in Lagos, a program that empowers young people with disabilities through digital skills training. Tokoni gained valuable digital skills and professional training that helped her into the workforce.
Today, she is employed at MTN – a multinational telecommunications company that operates in Africa and the Middle East, earning a living and contributing to the country’s digital economy.
“The IT Bridge Academy changed my life. It gave me not just skills but also the confidence to pursue my career ambitions. Working at MTN has been a dream come true and I’m grateful for the opportunities that have come my way”, she said.