Osinbajo, IoD Seeks Increased Women Representation in Leadership Roles

Gilbert Ekugbe

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has emphasised the need to have an increased participation of women in leadership roles to achieve an all inclusive economy.

According to Osinbajo, women representation in government positions in the country is still stuck in the pod and must be reconsidered to drive economic growth and development.

Osinbajo stated this at the Institute of Directors (IoD) 2022 Women Directors’ annual conference tagged, “Facing Forward: The evolving nature of Boards in a rapidly changing world,” in Lagos.

The Vice President said during his tenure as Attorney General, Lagos, a survey of 200 lawyers in 1999 revealed that 89 per cent of judges were notoriously corruption, maintaining that to check the anomaly, reforms began, including headhunting of judges leading to the appointment of 52 judges where 71 per cent were women.

Earlier, the Chairman, Women Directors’ Development Committee, IoD, Mrs Debola Osibogun, said the institute remained committed to promoting best corporate governance practices, including the need for increased female participation both in the private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy.

She noted that the choice of the conference’s theme was carefully made in recognition of the global paradigm shift, which had placed huge expectations on the shoulders of company owners, boards and management.

The Chairman, KPMG Africa, Mr Kunle Elebute, noted challenges such as changes in technology, increased stakeholders’ expectations and impacts of the global economy was critical that focus of boards goes beyond traditional skill sets of commercial acumen and financial literacy.

 He said that with the changing times, boards must continually evolve all its engagements to remain relevant.

 The president, IoD Nigeria, Mrs. Ije Jidenma, noting the changes that had reshaped the world in the past four years, said the development had led to enhanced laws and codes of governance.