The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has raised alarm over the staggering economic and human cost of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
At the National Dialogue on Ending Gender-Based Violence held in Abuja and convened by the Ministry of women Affairs in collaboration with the World Bank Group Nigeria, Imaan warns that the country loses trillions of naira every year to the crisis.
During the dialogue held to mark the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, the Minister, through her representative, Esuabana Nko Asanye, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, emphasised that GBV is more than a women’s issue but a national development crisis.
“It robs us of innovators, teachers, professionals and entrepreneurs,” she said, adding that the country loses trillions of naira annually due to violence that “silences productivity and drains potential.”
She warned that digital violence is the new frontline, with technology-related abuse rising sharply.
“These are not abstract concerns. They are lived realities for real people,” she added.
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Speaking on the theme “United for Safety: Ending Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria”, she noted that violence once confined to physical spaces now shadows women into their homes, workplaces and increasingly, through digital platforms.
How Women Suffer Violence
“No nation can become great when half its population wakes up each day with fear sitting beside them,” she said. “A young girl today is exposed not only to physical harm but also to cyberbullying, humiliation, blackmail and threats that linger forever on the internet.”
The minister cited alarming global and national statistics, revealing that more than 830 million women worldwide have faced intimate partner violence, while 250 million have suffered sexual violence from non-partners.
In Nigeria, she said, 31 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, while one in four girls has faced sexual abuse before adulthood.
“These are daughters who never had the chance to grow without fear,” she lamented.
Government Interventions
She said the Ministry of Women Affairs, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has adopted a coordinated, evidence-based approach to its programmes.
Imaan explained that through the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774, the ministry is working to ensure that women and girls across the country, from major cities to remote communities, receive protection, support and empowerment.
The Women Affairs Minister noted that Nigeria’s legal landscape has significantly strengthened with the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act in 35 states and the FCT as well as the Child Rights Act, which has also achieved a near-universal domestication.
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Highlighting the Ministry’s efforts in curbing GBV, Imaan stressed that the ministry has successfully carried out expansion of survivor services through the ProtectHer and Health Safeguard Initiatives and established the National GBV Data Situation Room, which tracks thousands of cases in real time and the rolled out Digital Harmony Programme to protect women online
She added that economic empowerment remains central to prevention, citing the Ministry’s initiatives in ensuring financial independence for Women including Women Programme Scale-Up and the domestication of the National Women Economic Empowerment Policy in Kaduna, Lagos and Kwara states.
World Bank: GBV a Barrier to Africa’s Development
World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Mathew Verghis, in her remark identified GBV as a critical constraint to development across Africa.
“Gender-based violence depresses economic productivity, undermines education, strains health and justice systems, and blocks women’s participation in the labour market,” he stated.
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Verghis noted that 58 per cent of Nigerian women who experience violence never seek help, a trend he described as a major barrier to gender equality and national growth.
He said the World Bank’s new Gender Strategy (2024–2030) places ending GBV among its top three global priorities.
Nigeria, he added, is one of the World Bank’s 16 fast-track countries under a comprehensive GBV prevention and response plan.
Calls to Action
Imaan urged stakeholders across government, the private sector, civil society, faith institutions and digital platforms to shift from mere dialogue to concrete, measurable action.
She pressed for a broader and more effective support system for survivors, insisting on stronger prosecution mechanisms and consistent adherence to standard response protocols by security agencies.
She stressed the need for better data collection and reporting structures, alongside efforts to empower traditional and religious leaders to champion anti-violence advocacy within their communities.
She also underscored the importance of firm enforcement and clear penalties for cyberbullying and digital exploitation, while calling for greater funding for women-owned enterprises and reintegration initiatives that help survivors rebuild their livelihoods.
“As we close the 2025 16 Days of Activism, let this not be another ceremony,” she said. “Let it be the day we chose compassion over indifference, courage over silence and accountability over excuses.”
Verghis echoed this call, advocating for a safer environment where every girl can walk to school without fear and every woman can pursue her ambitions without harassment.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual global campaign that runs from 25th November to 10th December to raise awareness and mobilize action for the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
