Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, over 3,000 women leaders, policymakers, diplomats and civil society actors converged on Abuja yesterday for the maiden edition of the Nigeria Women for Peace and Democracy Summit and Awards 2026.
The summit themed, ‘Women as Catalysts for Peace, Democracy and Inclusive Governance’, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, was hosted by the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) under the leadership of its National President, Edna D.D. Azura.
In her welcome remarks, Azura said the summit was deliberately convened ahead of the 2027 general elections to position women not as spectators in democracy, but as drivers of peace, governance and national stability.
“Nigerian women must be recognised as key actors in peace, democracy, national unity and sustainable development. We are not just beneficiaries of democracy, we are its builders,” she said.
She explained that the gathering would provide a platform for dialogue on democracy, governance, women’s leadership, peace-building and conflict prevention, bringing together delegates from across Nigeria’s political, ethnic, religious and generational divides, drawn from government institutions, security agencies, traditional and religious institutions, the private sector, diplomatic missions, development organisations and civil society groups.
Addressing the summit, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stressed that sustainable peace and national security cannot be achieved without the full inclusion of women in decision-making.
She said the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is implementing transformative policies and programmes to strengthen women’s leadership, expand protection for survivors of gender-based violence, and promote women’s participation in peace, security and governance.
“Women are not just victims of conflict, they are catalysts for peace. When you empower a woman, you secure a family, you stabilise a community, and you strengthen a nation,” the minister said.
She noted that the ministry is anchoring its interventions on key national and international frameworks, including the National Gender Policy, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the Child Rights Act, the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy, and Nigeria’s Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
A major highlight of the summit was the Nigeria Women for Peace and Democracy Awards, which honoured outstanding individuals, institutions, development partners, humanitarian organisations and women leaders whose contributions have advanced peacebuilding, democratic governance, women’s empowerment and nation-building.
Organisers said the awards were instituted to celebrate women who are often overlooked despite their sacrifice and service in communities across the country.
The NCWS is Nigeria’s oldest and largest national women’s organisation, with international affiliation to the International Council of Women (ICW) since 1958, a global umbrella body founded in 1888 and committed to promoting women’s rights, education, economic empowerment, health, welfare, peace and leadership. With Friday’s summit, stakeholders say the NCWS has once again reaffirmed its role as the foremost voice for Nigerian women, pushing for inclusion, not as a favour, but as a necessity for a peaceful and democratic Nigeria.
