BPW Nigeria Charts New Strategic Direction to Advance Women's Leadership and Economic Empowerment

‎BPW Nigeria Charts New Strategic Direction to Advance Women's Leadership and Economic Empowerment

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‎The Business and Professional Women (BPW) Nigeria has adopted a bold strategic roadmap aimed at strengthening women's leadership, economic empowerment, institutional sustainability, and organizational excellence following the successful conclusion of its five-day Virtual Strategic Planning Retreat.

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‎The retreat, held from 6th to 10th July 2026 under the Renewed Women's Voice and Leadership Nigeria (RWVL) Project, implemented by BPW Nigeria with support from ActionAid Nigeria and funding from Global Affairs Canada, brought together members of the National Executive Committee, Board of Trustees, club leaders and members from across the country.

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‎The retreat, themed "Building a Stronger Sisterhood, Sustainable Systems & a Lasting Legacy" and guided by the tagline "One Vision, One Voice, One Federation," focused on repositioning the Federation to respond effectively to emerging social, economic, political and technological realities.

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‎The strategic retreat was hosted by the National President of BPW Nigeria, Ojobo Atuluku, while the International President of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International), Diana Barragán, delivered a goodwill message reaffirming BPW International's commitment to supporting women's leadership and global collaboration. The Chairman of the BPW Nigeria Board of Trustees, Dr. Keziah Awosika, chaired the retreat, while renowned development strategist Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Founding Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), facilitated the strategic planning sessions.

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‎During the retreat, participants reviewed the Federation's mission, vision and core values and agreed to strengthen the organization's focus on digital innovation, climate-responsive entrepreneurship, leadership development, advocacy, mentorship, peacebuilding and sustainable development.

‎Participants also conducted comprehensive Political, Economic, Social and Technological (PEST) and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analyses to identify priorities for institutional strengthening, improved governance, effective communication, digital transformation, financial sustainability, membership growth and strategic partnerships.

‎The retreat also featured a goodwill message from Dr. Amany Asfour, President of the African Business Council, who commended BPW Nigeria for its commitment to strengthening women's leadership and entrepreneurship through strategic planning. She emphasized that women-owned businesses remain critical drivers of Africa's economic transformation and called for greater investment in women's economic inclusion, innovation, regional trade and sustainable enterprise development.

Dr. Asfour further encouraged BPW Nigeria to leverage the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by equipping women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills and networks required to compete across African markets. She reaffirmed the African Business Council's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote women's leadership, economic resilience and cross-border business collaboration, noting that stronger partnerships are essential to achieving inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.

‎A major highlight of the retreat was the presentation on the history and evolution of BPW Nigeria. Participants acknowledged the need to preserve the Federation's institutional memory by documenting its history, leadership, milestones, publications and achievements since its establishment in 1961 by Mrs. Elizabeth Manuwa.

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‎At the end of the retreat, BPW Nigeria resolved to implement a new five-year strategic plan that will strengthen governance structures, improve communication and media visibility, modernize information technology systems, institutionalize knowledge management, expand mentorship programmes, strengthen advocacy, diversify fundraising and deepen collaboration with government, development partners, academia, the private sector and civil society organizations.

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‎The Federation reaffirmed its commitment to promoting women's economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, gender equality, professional excellence and leadership while creating greater opportunities for women and girls across Nigeria.

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‎BPW Nigeria expressed appreciation to ActionAid Nigeria and Global Affairs Canada for their continued support through the Renewed Women's Voice and Leadership Nigeria (RWVL) Project. The Federation also commended the facilitator, speakers, Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and members for their invaluable contributions to the success of the retreat.

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‎Speaking at the close of the retreat, the National President, Ojobo Atuluku, reaffirmed BPW Nigeria's commitment to building a stronger, more united and more impactful Federation capable of driving positive change for women, businesses and communities across the country.

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‎With renewed commitment under the banner "One Vision, One Voice, One Federation," BPW Nigeria pledged to translate the resolutions of the retreat into measurable actions that will strengthen the Federation and expand opportunities for present and future generations of business and professional women.

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