The Women in Leadership (WiL) Coalition brought its advocacy for inclusive leadership and policy reform to national television in a dedicated episode of The Leading Woman Show, Season 4, themed The Nigeria We Want.
Aired on March 7, 2026, the episode, titled What Nigerian Women Want: Gender Inclusion & Opportunity, featured a conversation on the structural barriers limiting women’s participation in leadership, the need for more equitable workplace policies, and the institutional reforms required to expand opportunities for Nigerian women.
Hosted by Abosede George-Ogan, Founder of the Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN Global), the conversation brought together three leaders representing institutions within the Coalition’s network:
- Hauwa Hassan Haliru, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum Secretariat and Director of Gender Affairs at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat.
- Amina Oyagbola, Founder and Chairperson of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR).
- Bisi Adeyemi, Managing Director and CEO of DCSL Corporate Services Limited and Immediate Past Chairperson of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ).
Advancing a shared agenda for reform
The discussion highlighted the Coalition’s three priority areas for advancing gender equity and inclusive leadership in Nigeria:
- Labour reforms: advocating for 16 weeks of paid maternity leave and 14 days of paid paternity leave to create more supportive workplaces and promote shared caregiving responsibilities.
- Corporate representation: advocating for at least 35% women’s representation on the boards and executive management teams of listed companies.
- Political representation: advocating for 35% women’s representation in federal and state cabinets to strengthen inclusive governance and decision-making.
Beyond these policy demands, the conversation examined the cultural, institutional, and economic barriers that continue to restrict women’s access to opportunities, including workplace bias, unequal access to leadership networks, and limited support for women’s professional advancement.
The panellists explored the importance of institutional accountability, supportive workplace systems, and sustained collaboration in translating gender inclusion commitments into meaningful change.
Taking the conversation beyond advocacy
The episode provided an opportunity to bring the Coalition’s policy priorities into broader public discourse, reinforcing the importance of gender equity as a national development imperative.
For the WiL Coalition, advancing women’s leadership requires coordinated efforts across government, the private sector, and civil society to ensure that policies, institutions, and leadership structures create equitable opportunities for women.
Through platforms such as The Leading Woman Show, the Coalition continues to amplify its advocacy priorities and encourage wider engagement on the reforms needed to build a more inclusive Nigeria.
Watch the full episode: What Nigerian Women Want: Gender Inclusion & Opportunity.
