IBRAHIM QUADRI
As the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Bada Ambrose has expressed concern over the Reserved Seats Bill for women currently before the National Assembly, saying failure to effect the change before party primaries would affect significant portion of women population.
The Commissioner gave the concern on Tuesday during an International Women’s Day celebration 2026 organized by the ministry at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
With the theme: “Give to Gain: Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment for Inclusive Growth.”.
Ambrose said the reform would have to be accelerated, and women would continue to be underrepresented in governance.
Speaking on the topic, “Give to Gain: Investing in Women to Unlock Sustainable National Development, the Commissioner said, “In Lagos State, we have moved beyond conversations.
We are taking deliberate steps to ensure that women are not only included but prioritised in our economic agenda.
Through targeted policies and strategic partnerships, we are creating pathways for women to participate meaningfully across sectors such as trade, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and the creative economy.
“The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, LSETF, has played a vital role in this effort.
Thousands of women entrepreneurs have received access to finance, training, and mentorship.
These are businesses launched, families supported, and communities strengthened.
Women are moving from survival scale, from informal operations to structured enterprises in line with the inclusive policy of the administration, as enshrined in the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Development Agenda.
“To deepen access to finance, our Ministry partnered Bank of Industry and Sterling Bank to launch a 10 billion naira programme called Lagos State Access to Finance through Cooperatives, LASMECO.
This is to provide a non-collaterised loans of up to 10 million naira at 9 percent – single digit interest rate, to cooperative based MSMEs, with 3 months moratorium and repayment period of up to 3 years.
“We also recognise that access to finance alone is not enough. Skills matter. Knowledge matters. Networks matter.
That is why we continue to invest in capacity building programmes that equip women with practical skills in business management, digital tools, and market access.
In 2025, we took capacity building a notch higher with our programme named; Lagos State Export Readiness Programme, LASERP.
Implemented in partnership with the Afreximbank and ImpactHER, 252 SMEs were trained on export readiness.
Out of this, 20 MSMEs were sponsored to Algiers to participate in Intra Africa Trade Fair.”
She stressed that the ministry remains committed to supporting cooperatives as a powerful vehicle for inclusion.
“Women-led cooperatives across Lagos are driving savings, enabling access to credit, and fostering collective growth.
These structures are helping women build resilience and expand their economic footprint.
“We are also intentional about creating an enabling environment. Infrastructure development, improved ease of doing business, and regulatory reforms are part of a broader strategy to support enterprise growth.
Markets are being modernised. Trade processes are being simplified. Opportunities are being expanded.
These efforts are designed to remove barriers that often limit women’s economic participation.”
However, Ambrose noted, “recent national developments remind us that timing and inclusion are closely linked.
In March 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission released a revised election timetable under the Electoral Act 2026.
The presidential election is now scheduled for January 16, 2027, more than a month earlier than previously planned.
“This adjustment has important implications. The window for reforms that can shape women participation in that election cycle has narrowed.
For those who have followed ongoing advocacy around inclusive representation, it is clear what this means.
The time available to operationalise critical proposals that expand participation, especially through the Reserved Seats Bill for women, is now shorter.
“If such reforms do not take effect before party primaries begin, they cannot influence who emerges as candidates. If they do not influence candidacy, they cannot influence outcomes.
And if outcomes remain unchanged, a significant portion of women population will continue to be underrepresented in governance for another electoral cycle.
This is not a distant policy issue.
This is about fairness, representation, and the future we are building together.
The calendar is set. The law is in place. The moment to act is now.
“In Lagos State, our response remains clear. We will continue to strengthen systems that prepare women not only to participate in the economy, but also to take up leadership positions across sectors.
Economic empowerment and political inclusion must go hand in hand,” she stated.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Babatunde Onigbanjo said, “The Lagos State Government places immense importance on women’s empowerment as a strategic pillar for sustainable growth and social progress.
“We recognise that when women are economically empowered, families prosper, businesses flourish, and communities become more resilient. Empowered women reinvest in their families, educate their children, and build enterprises that create jobs and stimulate local economies.
This ripple effect strengthens the social and economic fabric of our society.”
He added, “In line with this vision, the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment has continued to implement targeted policies, programmes, and initiatives aimed at supporting women-led enterprises.
Through cooperative development schemes, access to low-interest financing, enterprise support programmes, and market linkage initiatives, we are working to ensure that women entrepreneurs have the resources they need to start, grow, and scale their businesses.
We are also strengthening capacity-building efforts through skills acquisition programmes, digital literacy training, and business development services to equip women with the tools required to compete in an increasingly globalised economy.”
Mrs Nana Adeeyo, Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment noted, “We are particularly interested in supporting our women in transitioning from informal to formal business structures by assisting in simplifying business registration processes and promoting regulatory awareness.
This transition is critical in unlocking opportunities such as access to larger markets, government contracts, and institutional financing.”
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