NDDC celebrates International Women’s Day, calls for accelerated action on gender equality

L – R: Director, Delta State Office, Niger Delta Development Commission, Warri, Mr. Onoriode Omo-Idoyo, and Associate Professor, Organic Chemistry, Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) Warri, Prof. Mary Edema during Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Collaboration with Womanhood International Foundation
2025 International Women’s Day Celebration at Wetland Hotel Warri today

Stanley Ihedigbo

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) marked International Women’s Day with a call for accelerated action on gender equality.

The commission emphasized the critical role women play in shaping families, communities, and nations.

The air in Ughelli, Delta State, was charged with emotion, determination, and hope, as women from across the Niger Delta gathered not just to mark International Women’s Day but to demand real change, with the theme “Accelerating action investing in women, advancing rights, leadership & equality,” the event, organized by womanhood outreach international and sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), delivered a compelling wake-up call to Nigeria: the time for symbolic gestures is over now is the time for bold action.

From schoolgirls eager to glimpse their futures to entrepreneurs and seasoned academics, the diverse gathering echoed one conviction: systemic gender inequality must be dismantled if Nigeria hopes to prosper.

Director of Youth, Sports, Culture, and Women Affairs at NDDC, Mrs. Imoni Ahunna, delivered a message that set the tone. “Women must no longer remain in the background. We must step into national conversations, lead advocacy, and drive the change we seek,” she said. “At NDDC, we are not just celebrating women; we are investing in their power to transform the region.”

This year’s keynote speaker, Associate Professor of Science Education at the University of Delta, Agbor, Dr. Clara D. Moemeke, delivered an address that left no room for complacency.

“Gender equity is not inevitable it is intentional. It is driven by bold policies, courageous advocacy, and deliberate investment. When we delay gender action, we delay national development,” Dr. Moemeke said.

She pointed to stark statistics: women make up nearly 50% of the global population, yet own only 20% of the land, perform 76% of unpaid care work, and remain underrepresented in leadership, with Nigeria ranking 125th out of 146 countries on the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index.

Dr. Moemeke challenged the audience to look beyond celebration and into solutions: “This theme is not a slogan—it is a mandate. Imagine a world where girls complete school without fear of marriage or violence, where women lead without bias, and where every voice matters.”

Workshops throughout the day tackled economic empowerment, inclusive governance, gender-based violence, and the urgent need for legal reforms. Women shared real-life testimonies some survivors of abuse, others trailblazers in politics or business all united by a shared demand for justice and opportunity.

For Prof. Mary Olire Edema of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, women’s leadership is not a luxury it is essential. “Empowering women is a catalyst for sustainable development. Leadership must begin with access to education, to finance, to political platforms, and safety,” she emphasized during her special address.

Prof. Edema called for a cultural shift, saying, “We must move past a society where women join groups to receive handouts and into a generation where women lead cooperatives, industries, and institutions.”

The sessions were not shy about calling out Nigeria’s gender disparities. Women make up less than 4% of lawmakers in the National Assembly.

Maternal mortality remains among the highest globally. In many rural communities, girls are still more likely to be married off than to finish secondary school.

The COVID-19 pandemic widened this gap, pushing women out of jobs and excluding them from stimulus recovery plans.

Dr. Olufunke Chenube of the University of Delta reminded participants that gender inequality is deeply rooted in historical exclusion.

“When you exclude half the population from leadership for generations, you don’t just hurt women you cripple national progress,” she said. “The laws, the systems, the economy all reflect this inherited bias.”

The event laid out clear solutions. These include enforcing affirmative action, mainstreaming gender in national and state budgets, reforming discriminatory laws, investing in girls’ education, especially in STEM fields and creating mentorship pipelines that connect young women to role models across industries.

One of the most striking voices came from a widow and small-scale farmer, Blessing Okoro from Patani. “Today, I saw myself in these women. I don’t need permission to lead I need opportunity,” she said, drawing a standing ovation.

Throughout the event, the message was clear: gender equality is not a women’s issue it is a national priority. When women lead, data shows, societies become more prosperous, peaceful, and inclusive.

In closing, Dr. Moemeke offered a poignant reminder. “Every time we underinvest in women, we undercut our democracy, our economy, and our humanity. This is not a charity call it is a strategic imperative.”

As Nigeria struggles with insecurity, unemployment, and social inequality, the women gathered in Ughelli didn’t just celebrate International Women’s Day they redefined it. They called for a Nigeria where laws protect, leadership includes, and every girl is raised to believe that her voice belongs not in the background, but at the decision-making table. The time to act is now.