Outcome NGA_D_2.1

By 2027 all people living in Nigeria, especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups, have improved access to job opportunities driven by digitization, skills development, and entrepreneurship to harness the demographic dividend

During the reporting period, UN Women contributed to strengthening gender-responsive governance and economic systems in Nigeria by advancing policy and institutional reforms in public finance and care economy frameworks. In collaboration with the Ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, UN Women supported the development of a Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRPB) framework aimed at enhancing national systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). A draft GRPB framework has been developed and is in the process of finalization with technical support from experts engaged by UN Women, marking progress towards the institutionalization of gender-responsive public finance management in line with SDG Indicator 5.c.1. Complementing these systemic reforms, UN Women advanced evidence-based policymaking under the Care Economy portfolio by supporting national and sub-national care policy reform. This included the dissemination of Nigeria’s first nationally representative Time Use Survey in Kaduna, Borno, Cross River and Lagos States, in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF and the International Labour Organization. The survey generated critical evidence on the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work borne by women and girls, strengthening the availability and use of gender-disaggregated data to inform policy dialogue, advocacy and planning processes. These efforts culminated in the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Care and Support in Abuja, reinforcing multi-stakeholder commitment to a more equitable, inclusive and gender-responsive care economy in Nigeria.

By 2027 all people living in Nigeria, especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups, have improved access to job opportunities driven by digitization, skills development, and entrepreneurship to harness the demographic dividend

The CO, facing resource constraints, actively collaborated in 2023 with stakeholders to impact this indicator. Engagements with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning aimed to institutionalize gender-responsive planning and budgeting, with concurrent efforts to monitor gender equality expenditure. Collaborations with the National Bureau of Statistics expanded gender data collection and integrated gender responsiveness into the four-year data strategy. The partnership with UNDP focused on the Multidimensional Poverty Index, emphasizing gender as a pillar. In May 2023, the Nigerian government, with UN Women support, launched the National Policy on Women's Economic Empowerment, incorporating affirmative procurement. This milestone underpins ongoing advocacy for similar frameworks across states, with UN Women contributing through comprehensive research, gender-responsive public procurement reviews, and assessments of procurement laws in Federal, Lagos, and Kaduna States. The Gender-Responsive Strategy Costed Action Plan aims to mainstream gender into procurement laws. Additionally, UN Women conducted audits, assessments, and advocacy messages in Lagos and Kaduna States. The CO built up evidence to support the government in developing gender-responsive policies in the maritime and mining sectors, identifying gaps for integration. Despite the lack of an institutionalized system for tracking funding, budget data indicates reduced allocations to the Ministry of Women Affairs in 2024. However, there's an increase in allocations across ministries for women's economic empowerment, signaling a shift in budgetary priorities. The CO's 2023 budget analysis reveals a 69% allocation to SDGs 5.1 and 5.a, contrasting with 1% for SDGs 5.5, 5.6, and 5.b, highlighting an imbalance in addressing diverse gender equality aspects. Consistently observed at the national, state, and donor agency levels, the disproportionate allocation raises questions about the budgetary framework's effectiveness and inclusivity. Notably, the absence of a gender-responsive budgeting component in the 2023 budget call circular signals a departure from previous years.

By 2027 all people living in Nigeria, especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups, have improved access to job opportunities driven by digitization, skills development, and entrepreneurship to harness the demographic dividend

The Country Office has collaborated with the National Bureau of Statistics and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to integrate gender considerations into the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). This integration includes gender-responsive data systems within the five-year strategy, enabling the tracking of expenditure and progress on SDG 5. Additionally, the reintroduction of Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) at national and subnational levels supports evidence-based advocacy for increased resource allocation toward gender equality. In Kaduna and Lagos, the Women’s Empowerment Principles anchor private sector engagement, advancing gender-responsive procurement and capacity building for women entrepreneurs. Initiatives like the Private Sector Forum have promoted affirmative procurement policies, with over 152 organizations committing to WEPs. These efforts, bolstered by technical support and training in financial literacy and digital tools, empower women-owned businesses to navigate procurement processes effectively. At the national level, the High-Level Technical Working Group on GRB and Policies is institutionalizing GRB and creating a comprehensive gender architecture aligned with Nigeria's National Development Plan and gender policy. This group uses gender-sensitive data to inform policy and monitor SDG 5 progress, working with federal and state agencies, UN Women, and international partners to mainstream gender in public finance management. These multi-sectoral systems, spanning public and private initiatives, strengthen gender accountability, ensuring a coordinated approach to advancing women’s equal access to services, resources, and opportunities while contributing to sustainable development goals.