The former President of Ethiopia, Madam Sahle-Work Zewde, has urged women to challenge the artificial limitations placed on them by owning their voice and telling their story.
  
The first Ethiopia female President said this at the 14th Inspiring Women Africa (IWA) series held recently in Lagos. The event convened by Kemi Ajumobi and themed ‘Leadership redefined: charting new paths to excellence’, gathered influential women and industry leaders from across the continent.
   
Madam President, while delivering the keynote speech spoke about her journey through diplomacy, peacebuilding and national leadership. She described her lifelong commitment to advancing women’s rights, noting that her work in recent years has centred on supporting women in peace and security across Africa.
  
Madam Zewde, who served 29 years as a diplomat before becoming Ethiopia’s first female president, highlighted the importance of owning one’s voice and telling one’s story. “If a woman doesn’t talk about herself, doesn’t tell her story, nobody will,” she said. She encouraged women to speak boldly about their journeys, strengths and contributions, reminding the audience that the limits placed on women are often artificial and must be challenged.
  
Her story set the tone for a conference dedicated to celebrating purposeful leadership, resilience and the reimagining of women’s influence across sectors.
  
The convener of the IWA Conference, a celebrated journalist and Founder/Group CEO of the IWA Group Kemi Ajumobi, was recognised for her role in building the platform over the past 14 years. She has spent nearly two decades amplifying women’s voices through media, advocacy and storytelling. Her work spans radio, digital platforms, magazine publishing, documentary production and public speaking, establishing IWA as a trusted space for women to learn, connect and spark change.
  
Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, commended Nigerian women for their resilience, innovation and leadership across various fields. She said the conference theme reflects the realities of a world undergoing rapid transformation, urging women to embrace leadership grounded in empathy, impact, service and accountability.
  
She spoke on the ministry’s work under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including efforts to strengthen systems, expand opportunities and promote gender equity nationwide. She encouraged women to use the ministry’s flagship Happy Women’s App, which provides verified information, economic opportunities, mental wellbeing support, legal guidance and access to ministry programmes. “This digital innovation is more than an application, it is a gateway to dignity, safety and support for every Nigerian woman,” she said.
  
To mark the conference’s 14th year, the minister shared “14 Ps of excellence”, including purpose, prayers, positivity, passion, perseverance, persistence, planning and punctuality, describing them as qualities essential for personal growth and national advancement.
  
The conference also featured three panel sessions with speakers drawn from technology, law, energy, banking, entertainment and public service. The first panel, Excellence in Action: I Am Committed to Lead, included senior leaders such as Nova Bank’s Acting MD/CEO, Chinwe Iloghalu, and was moderated by GE Vernova’s Executive General Counsel for Africa, Ozim Ibeziako. The second panel, Visionary Leadership in Transformative Times, hosted experts from finance, power and enterprise, moderated by Nairametrics CEO, Ugochukwu Obi-Chukwu. The final panel, Empowered for Excellence: I Am Driving Change, featured leaders from corporate, legal, energy and entrepreneurial sectors.