The Nigerian government, in crucial collaboration with the World Bank, has officially launched a major initiative designed to combat the pervasive issue of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) across the nation. This coordinated effort was unveiled during the National Dialogue on Ending Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria, where officials underscored the severe cost this crisis exacts on national development.
Speaking at the event on behalf of the Minister of Women Affairs, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Esuabana Nko Asanye, delivered a stern assessment of the situation. “As a nation, we cannot continue to lose our women and girls to violence, whether physical, economic or digital,” she asserted. “When half of the population wakes up afraid to participate in society, no country can grow. Violence is costing us productivity, human capital, and stability.”
Mrs. Asanye highlighted the significant progress the Federal Government has made in intensifying legal and legislative interventions. She noted that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act has been successfully adopted and domesticated in 35 states, alongside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Furthermore, the crucial Child Rights Act is now very close to being fully adopted across the entire country.
GBV: A Major Constraint on Economic Growth
The World Bank’s Country Director, Mr. Mathew Verghis, reinforced the view that GBV is not just a social problem but one of the most critical development constraints facing Nigeria today. He explained that this violence negatively impacts key economic sectors, affecting educational outcomes, labour force participation, the productivity of businesses, and ultimately, national competitiveness.
Adding a stark commercial dimension to the dialogue, IFC’s Regional Director, Dahlia Khalifa, revealed the tremendous financial cost of the crisis. She pointed out that Nigerian businesses suffer annual losses estimated at nearly ₦6 billion due to incidents of workplace harassment and violence. Khalifa stressed the global imperative of addressing gender inequality, noting that “Closing gender gaps could add up to $12 trillion to global GDP.” To tackle this, the IFC is actively partnering with over 100 companies and various financial institutions to strengthen workplace policies and address financial abuse.
Meanwhile, efforts are also being intensified at the local level. Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, the Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs in the FCT, confirmed that significant community-based interventions are underway across 884 different communities. The goal of this grassroots work is to proactively build safer, more secure spaces from the ground up.
As the dialogue concluded, Mrs. Asanye affirmed the Federal Government’s unwavering dedication to this cause. She pledged that the government would continue its intensive collaboration with state governments, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector to ensure that “violence has no hiding place in Nigeria.”
