The Federal Government has formally unveiled Nigeria’s Third National Action Plan (NAP III) on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), a five-year blueprint designed to directly address and mitigate the disproportionate impact of insecurity and conflict on Nigerian women and girls.
The plan, which covers the period 2024–2028 and was spearheaded by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and its principles of inclusion, protection, and gender equality in peacebuilding.
The NAP III is structured around four foundational pillars that align Nigeria’s domestic efforts with contemporary global realities, placing women and vulnerable groups at the centre of the “Renewed Hope Agenda”:-
It focuses on addressing the root causes of conflict and all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including the growing threat of digital violence; and concentrates on safeguarding the rights, safety, and dignity of women and girls, especially in conflict and post-conflict situations.
The plan aims to increase women’s meaningful representation and leadership in all levels of decision-making, governance, security structures, and peace processes (mediation and negotiation). While ensuring women’s access to comprehensive services, including livelihood support, humanitarian aid, healthcare, and psychosocial rehabilitation in crisis-affected areas.
Beyond the strategic pillars, the government has announced specific interventions to drive the plan’s goals. Saying, this fund is being set up to address significant financing gaps in GBV prevention and survivor support services, including expanding safe spaces and one-stop centers across the country.
This also includes intensifying gender-sensitive reforms within security agencies, strengthening legal enforcement, and improving justice delivery through specialized Gender Desks and Courts to increase the national GBV conviction rate.
Initiatives like the expanded Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) target over four million women nationwide to improve financial inclusion and economic resilience, recognizing that economic disempowerment increases vulnerability to violence.
Efforts are being made to encourage state governments to champion the implementation of the plan and localize the WPS agenda through the development of State Action Plans (SAPs).
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who inaugurated the plan, emphasized that while Nigerian women demonstrate extraordinary strength in conflict mediation and community rebuilding, the reality of insecurity facing women and girls must not be overlooked.
