The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WimBiz) have demanded the inclusion of more women in the leadership of the nation’s financial sectors.

They made the call Friday in Abuja at a workshop on ‘Advancing Women as Leaders in Nigeria’s Finance Industry’ organized by WimBiz as part of community practice for women’s financial inclusion coordinated by the CBN and Women’s World Banking organisation.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director WimBiz, Mrs Hansatu Adegbite, noted that some successes recorded with women in leadership positions in the banking sector should be replicated in other financial sectors of the nation’s economy to boost national development.

Adegbite said, “Our main target is to ensure that every organisation in the financial industry has at least 35 percent representation of women in leadership positions. 

“What I have seen is that people have been enlightened and they have seen the possibility of collective engagement and ideas to achieve this target,” she added.

On her part, the Group Head, Strategic Initiatives Management, Strategy Management Department of CBN, Ms Bisi Toro-Popoola, noted that many Nigerians can see that when it comes to the banking sector, Nigeria has made progress in terms of more women in leadership positions and that it is because the CBN is ensuring the implementation of the policy.

“But when you look at other regulatory bodies like in the Insurance, Pension and others, they do not have that same kind of policy. So, it is important for us to consider putting that in policies by various regulators and it grows,” Toro-Popoola said.