Women must move from representation to influence in governance — Fashola

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Former Minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has urged women to move “beyond representation in leadership to exercising meaningful influence in governance and decision-making.”

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Fashola made the call on Wednesday at the 2026 Women Directors’ Biennial Conference organised by the Women’s Group of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria in Lagos.

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The conference has the theme: “From Presence to Power: Advancing Women’s Influence in the Boardroom.”

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He said although diversity in boardrooms had improved, the focus should now shift to “strengthening women’s capacity to influence governance and organisational outcomes.”

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According to him, effective leadership is determined by competence rather than gender.

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Fashola urged women serving on boards to prepare adequately for meetings, ask critical questions, continually improve their knowledge and understand the organisations they serve.

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“If you are given authority and cannot use it, you cannot attribute that to gender. Ineffectiveness is a human issue, not a gender issue,” he said.

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He also advised women leaders to prioritise the welfare of their teams and develop strong communication skills to build trust and achieve results.

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Reflecting on his years in public service, Fashola said many achievements recorded during his tenure as Lagos State governor were driven by women occupying leadership positions.

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He also stressed the need for stronger regulatory capacity as Nigeria deepens privatisation, particularly where the government retains operational influence after transferring ownership.

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Chairperson of Access Bank Plc, Dr Ajoritsedere Awosika, described inclusive leadership as both a moral obligation and a governance imperative.

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Awosika said the goal was no longer to secure seats for women but to ensure their participation translated into measurable impact.

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“Presence and power must lead to impact. Women have the capacity to transform workplaces, governance institutions and homes when they actively shape decisions,” she said.

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President of CIoD Nigeria, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, said the conversation had shifted from representation to authority.

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According to him, presence means being in the room, while power means influencing strategy, chairing key committees and participating in the selection of chief executives.

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He said the conference sought to bridge the gap between representation and leadership as boardrooms navigate challenges such as artificial intelligence, geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and macroeconomic uncertainties.

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Vice-President of CIoD Nigeria, Mrs Amina Oyagbola, said although more women now served on corporate boards, they remained underrepresented as board chairpersons, executive leaders and key decision-makers.

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She said influence in the boardroom was built on competence, credibility and the courage to make principled decisions, urging stakeholders to deliberately build stronger leadership pipelines for women.

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Chairperson of the CIoD Nigeria Women’s Group, Mrs Ronke Sokefun, said discussions on women’s leadership had evolved beyond inclusion to influence.

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According to her, boardroom diversity is no longer a social aspiration but a strategic imperative for institutional success, economic growth and good governance.

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Also speaking, the wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, said empowering more women to contribute to governance would strengthen national development.

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She said the conference would enrich ongoing conversations on inclusive governance and improve board effectiveness across the public and private sectors. (NAN)

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