From the early hours, the venue buzzed with pleasure as attendees exchanged heat greetings, some reconnecting with acquainted faces whereas others solid new connections. The air carried a mixture of smooth laughter and the rhythmic hum of background music, setting a tone of each celebration and inspiration. Each element, from the preparations to the rigorously designed stage, spoke of meticulous planning. The venue wore a real reflection of the facility and beauty of womanhood. The elegantly dressed ladies exuded confidence and function.
That was the signature ladies pageant within the nation, The Guardian Girl Competition, held on Friday, March 14, 2025, on the Federal Palace Lodge, Victoria Island.
Themed, ‘Girls Imply Enterprise’, the pageant attracted excessive networth friends and a number of others from completely different walks of life who got here to foster impactful collaborations and drive financial empowerment.
Talking on the pageant, Writer of The Guardian, Girl Maiden Alex-Ibru, who gave tips about childcare at office, famous that girls ought to imbibe the tradition of treating home employees with kindness and respect.
She additionally urged ladies to be thoughtful of their interactions with their maids, stressing that they shouldn’t be mistreated or taken without any consideration.
Girl Alex-Ibru, subsequently, inspired ladies to increase empathy and equity to those that work of their households, reinforcing the significance of dignity and look after all people, no matter their social or financial standing.
In line with The Guardian Girl Competition Creator and Chief Technique Officer (International), The Guardian, Anita Ibru, the pageant is greater than only a celebration.
“It’s a motion that galvanises ladies to take cost of their futures, break boundaries, and affect significant change throughout industries.”
She emphasised that the theme of the occasion is not only to have fun ladies’s achievements, but additionally to acknowledge their struggles and obligations towards each other.
“It doesn’t matter whether or not you have been born with a silver spoon or in poverty; all ladies, in some unspecified time in the future, have confronted struggles. By remembering the place we got here from, we should additionally bear in mind those that are nonetheless in tough locations. In all this enterprise of ‘businessing’, allow us to make it our enterprise to hold different ladies alongside, to test in, to not keep silent, and to not thoughts our enterprise once we witness atrocities in opposition to different ladies,” she stated.
She additional challenged ladies to increase help to others striving to succeed. “Sure, I could win Businesswoman of the Yr, however are you making it your enterprise to look out for these aspiring to do the identical sooner or later? Please test in with your self and keep in mind that. Don’t depart different ladies behind.”
She additionally highlighted the evolving financial panorama and the need for girls to remain forward.
“Economies and sectors are altering, however we have to sustain. The enterprise of public service is essential, and we’re grateful to our minister for placing her title on this occasion. We want extra ladies in public service to push for change, to form insurance policies, and to barter offers with different nations. The enterprise of academia and studying we can not depart that behind both,” she added.
The Minister of Business, Commerce, and Funding, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, underscored the important position of ladies in shaping Africa’s future.
Delivering the keynote handle, she highlighted the necessity for motion past discussions, calling for daring, decisive steps towards constructing a extra inclusive and equitable society.
“The worldwide panorama is evolving, and Africa stands on the forefront of a major transformation. I’m happy that the dialogue on gender transition has shifted from ladies getting a seat on the desk to acknowledging us as key brokers of change in each sector, performing as customers, producers, distributors, and decision-makers throughout the worth chain,” she stated.
Oduwole described the pageant as greater than only a celebration, calling it a rallying level for breaking obstacles, difficult conventions, and accelerating motion to create an inclusive, thriving economic system for each Nigerian lady and younger entrepreneur.
Founding father of the Girls At Danger Worldwide Basis (WARIF), Dr. Kemi Dasilva-Ibru, additionally highlighted the importance of the pageant’s theme, stating that ‘Girls Imply Enterprise’ represents a celebration of ladies’s energy, resilience, and boundless potential.
“It symbolises the transformative affect ladies possess inside households and communities. This resonates profoundly with us at WARIF and underscores the essential position of ladies in shaping a greater future.”
The Nation Supervisor, Zoho Applied sciences Ltd, Kehinde Ogundare, defined the position of know-how as a driving drive for inclusion and innovation, emphasising the necessity for higher funding in ladies’s technological empowerment in Nigeria.
He famous that owing to socio-economic obstacles and restricted entry to training and coaching, many ladies lack the sources wanted to advance within the technological area.
“There’s a urgent want for extra coaching alternatives to assist ladies develop their expertise and give attention to progress. Nigerian ladies entrepreneurs usually depend on self-taught expertise, as formal coaching programmes stay inaccessible or too costly,” he stated.
Senior Gender and Financial Inclusion Advisor on the Worldwide Finance Company, World Financial institution Group, Adaorie Udechukwu, famous the disparities in profession development between women and men, stating that males are likely to rise 3 times quicker within the office.
She attributed this to societal expectations that place the burden of caregiving whether or not for youngsters, the aged, or the sick totally on ladies. This, she defined, ends in ladies successfully working two jobs, each at residence and of their skilled lives, but being anticipated to take care of the identical productiveness ranges as males.
Udechukwu additional identified that solely 5 per cent of employers have carried out buildings to help working moms, leaving a major hole in office insurance policies. She challenged enterprise homeowners and policymakers to rethink employer obligations, emphasising the significance of presidency intervention in mandating childcare provisions to ease the burden on ladies.
Including to the dialogue, a Human Useful resource Skilled at Globus Financial institution, Kingsley Ogiri, confused the significance of worker care, which he categorised into wellness, welfare, and well-being.
He famous that many workplaces focus solely on monetary compensation whereas overlooking important help techniques resembling maternity depart, versatile work preparations, and childcare help.
Ogiri shared insights from his office, the place initiatives are being designed to offer a extra inclusive atmosphere for each women and men to stability work and household obligations.
Founding father of The Child Lounge, Itoro Ugorji, bolstered the necessity for correct childcare infrastructure in workplaces. She famous that whereas paternity depart isn’t but mandated by Nigeria’s labour legal guidelines, some state governments have taken steps to offer for his or her staff.
Ugorji urged employers and policymakers to take actionable steps towards creating work environments the place ladies may thrive with out having to decide on between profession progress and household obligations.
She, nevertheless, referred to as for a shift in mindset, advocating for broader paternity depart insurance policies and employer-supported childcare options that profit each dad and mom and contribute to a extra balanced workforce.
Throughout one of many panel classes, titled: ‘The Enterprise of Financing and Funding’, discussions centred on the significance of monetary literacy, funding confidence, and the position of a robust help system in advancing ladies’s financial empowerment.
Panelists highlighted the necessity for girls to begin small, search data, and encompass themselves with a help system that encourages monetary progress.
They famous that empowering feminine staff and fostering a group that uplifts ladies is essential to driving financial inclusion.
One of many audio system, Head, Elite Enterprise at Leadway Asset Administration, Onome Odometa, suggested ladies in search of traders or funding alternatives to conduct thorough analysis and perceive the fame of potential companions or ventures in making knowledgeable monetary selections.
She additionally confused the significance of wanting past surface-level info and assessing long-term sustainability earlier than making monetary commitments.
Odometa warned in opposition to high-risk funding schemes that promise unrealistic returns, citing the necessity for girls to develop monetary literacy expertise to guard themselves from fraud.
She emphasised the necessity for girls to confidently advocate for wage will increase, bonuses, and profession developments. They defined that realizing one’s price and never hesitating to ask for truthful compensation is essential to monetary empowerment.
Head of Enterprise Banking, Stanbic IBTC, Olajumoke Bello additionally spoke in regards to the gender disparities in entry to funding and monetary alternatives.
She identified that girls have to be extra assertive in in search of monetary progress, simply as males usually are.
Bello, thus, urged ladies to critically analyse the place their cash goes and the way returns are generated.
She inspired ladies to boost their arms, and confidently declare their monetary and enterprise ambitions, slightly than ready for alternatives to come back to them.
On her half, Bukola Osikomaiya mentioned wage negotiations {and professional} self-worth, including that realizing one’s price and never hesitating to ask for truthful compensation is essential to monetary empowerment.
Founding father of Oak and Teak Interiors, Morenike Molehin, emphasised the significance of office insurance policies that help ladies, notably, throughout important life phases resembling being pregnant. She highlighted the multifaceted roles ladies play as sisters, pals, wives, and moms whereas balancing skilled aspirations.
Molehin confused that organisations should implement insurance policies that help ladies throughout being pregnant and past, guaranteeing they don’t have to decide on between profession development and household obligations.
She additionally underscored the necessity for girls to consider in themselves, acknowledging the extra effort usually required to reach male-dominated areas.
She famous that having sturdy feminine position fashions serves as a supply of encouragement, reminding ladies that difficult durations will ultimately cross.
Addressing gender and societal dynamics, she identified that whereas some people search consolation over monetary progress, ladies should push past these limitations to attain success.
The pageant additionally witnessed numerous panels classes the place specialists in numerous fields shared their views on ladies inclusion of their sectors.
The pageant launched the general public vote for the Seven Marvel Girls Awards, in partnership with Investing In Girls. These awards honour distinctive ladies throughout seven key sectors: The Enterprise of Tradition (Media & Leisure, The Arts, Hospitality & Tourism); The Enterprise of Financing & Funding; The Enterprise of Expertise; The Enterprise of Wellness & Care; The Enterprise of Academia & Studying; The Enterprise of Public Service and The Enterprise of Philanthropy & Social Affect.
Panel discussions featured thought-provoking subjects, together with addressing challenges in enterprise financing, private investing, and wealth preservation for girls; driving change: how philanthropy, CSR, and social influence can strengthen communities; leveraging teaching and mentorship to propel ladies to the C-Suite and empowering ladies in arts, leisure, and life-style amongst others.
A number of the audio system embody: CEO, Leadway Asset Administration, David Alao; Nation Supervisor, Zoho Company, Nigeria, Kehinde Ogundare; Founder, Caring Africa, Blessing Oyeleye Adesiyan, Founder, GAIA Africa, Olatowun Candide-Johnson; and President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Prof. Pius Olanrewaju.
