The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership, Ms. Rinsola Abiola, has urged young Nigerian women to join politics and build careers in public service.
This was also as she said that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration was committed to empowering young women.
She made the call at the Beyond Boundaries Young Women’s Leadership Conference, organised by Beyond Boundaries, in partnership with her office. The event took place at the Presidential Banquet Hall in Abuja.
In her welcome address, Ms. Abiola emphasised the need to transition from advocacy to occupying strategic positions where young women can make impact.
“Young women’s advocacy is rooted in passion, clarity, and courage. From education equity to climate justice, from gender equity to public health, young women globally have continuously advocated for change. True power emerges when advocacy evolves into tangible, effective action; and when young women occupy a seat at the table and effect meaningful change,” she stated.
She also commended President Tinubu for prioritising young women’s inclusion in governance, adding that the Renewed Hope administration was committed to tackling challenges faced by young women.
“I would want to sincerely appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for being that leader who has prioritised not only women’s inclusion in governance from a general perspective, but young women’s inclusion specifically. This administration is aware of the challenges that young women leaders face— limited access to resources, cultural stereotypes, and systemic inequalities. These barriers persistently threaten our efforts and ambitions, and the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is resolute in its commitment to dismantling these barriers through education, mentorship, policies, and genuine community support.”
Giving a background to the engagement, Ms. Abiola stated that the initiative was introduced in 2024 to explore the linkages between youth development and women’s empowerment. She also thanked the headline sponsor, Beyond Boundaries, for this year’s edition and for work done to organise the 2025 conference.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the Beyond Boundaries Young Women’s Leadership Conference, YWLC 2025. This journey began with the maiden edition in 2024, as we sought to explore the convergence between gender mainstreaming and leadership development for young people. I would like to sincerely thank our headline sponsor, Beyond Boundaries – founded by Ms. Olu Olufemi-White – for the immense effort that has gone into organizing this year’s event,” she said.
Ms. Abiola also encouraged leaders and other stakeholders in society to support young women. She further called on young women to consider careers in public service so they can influence policies and contribute to nation-building.
“Let this be our collective call to action. Support young women’s voices by amplifying them. Mentor young leaders by sharing knowledge. Invest in their initiatives with time, resources, and faith. I would like to encourage you to also consider careers in public service, as there is so much that we can do by influencing policies and designing government initiatives that will shape the future of our country and impact others like us.”
The event featured a line-up of high-profile speakers, including the Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; the Minister for Women Affairs, Iman Suleiman-Ibrahim; and the Minister for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa. There were other leading figures from the private and public sectors such as Owen Omogiafo, the Group CEO of Transcorp; Olu Olufemi-White, entrepreneur and founder of Beyond Boundaries; Banke Meshida-Lawal, pioneer beauty entrepreneur; Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, leading tech entrepreneur; Abba Bello, MD of NEXIM Bank; Julaina Olayinka, London Bureau Chief for Channels Television; and Teniola Apata, a celebrated music artist.
The event was also supported by organisations such as Matrix Energy, Parthian Partners, MacArthur Foundation, WRAPA, NASENI, Dangote Foundation, NEXIM Bank, Jaiz Bank and NIPOST, among others. This year’s conversation focused on key themes such as Financial Inclusion, Digital Literacy and Leadership Representation.
