Nigeria has joined the rest of the world in marking the inaugural International Day of Women in Industry (IDWI).

At the United Nations House in Abuja, the participants called for urgent, deliberate action to dismantle barriers that limit women’s participation in industrial development.

At its 2025 General Conference, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation declared that April 21 of every year is devoted to recognising women as central to industrialisation, innovation and economic transformation globally.

Speaking at the inaugural event, UNIDO Regional Director for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Philbert Abaka Johnson, described the moment as both symbolic and strategic, explaining that industrialisation cannot be innovative, resilient, or sustainable if half the population is excluded.

The new global day also commemorates the adoption of UNIDO’s first Gender Policy in 2009, reinforcing Johnson’s description of a longstanding institutional commitment to gender equality as a driver of industrial transformation.

While the event celebrated women’s achievements across sectors, it also cast a spotlight on persistent structural inequalities, ranging from limited access to finance and technology to underrepresentation in leadership and policy spaces.

Johnson warned that the event was not merely a day of recognition but a clarion call to action.

The theme, ‘Women Shaping the Future of Industry,’ framed discussions on the critical roles women play across manufacturing, agribusiness, renewable energy, technology, and the creative industries.

A highlight of the event was the recognition of leading Nigerian women whose influence spans across global trade, energy, manufacturing, finance, and technology.

Among those celebrated were Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, lauded for her leadership in global trade and supply chains; Funke Opeke, credited with transforming Nigeria’s digital infrastructure; and Ibukun Awosika, a pioneer in indigenous manufacturing and in corporate leadership.

Others included oil and gas magnate Folorunsho Alakija, pharmaceutical entrepreneur Stella Okoli, media mogul Mo Abudu, and tech innovator Ire Aderinokun.

The organiser compiled the list, though not exhaustive, which underscored what they described as the ‘untapped industrial power’ of Nigerian women.

Johnson spoke about a series of UNIDO-backed initiatives to bridge gender gaps in industry.

These include circular-economy projects funded by Japan and the European Union, cleantech innovation programmes that support women-led enterprises, and engineering scholarships delivered in partnership with the Society of Women Engineers.

He disclosed that more than 540 women have been trained nationwide through the HP LIFE programme in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 interventions supported 174 MSMEs—70 per cent of which were women-led—to scale up the production of personal protective equipment.

He explained: “These interventions are not just about participation. They are about enabling women to move up the value chain and into more competitive and resilient enterprises.”

Participants at the event emphasised that without intentional policy design, industrial growth risks deepening existing inequalities.

They called for gender-responsive policies, greater access to industrial finance, and stronger public-private partnerships.

They added that Nigeria’s industrial ambitions, particularly under its Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) with UNIDO, will depend largely on how effectively women are integrated into value chains.

They also observed that the true test of the new international day will be translating rhetoric into measurable outcomes.

With momentum gradually building, participants expressed hope that the International Day of Women in Industry would evolve from a commemorative event into a catalyst for structural transformation.