Egypt and Nigeria have taken another step toward strengthening regional cooperation on women’s empowerment, with senior officials from both countries discussing opportunities to exchange expertise in financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.
The meeting brought together Counselor Amal Ammar, Chairperson of Egypt’s National Council for Women, and Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, on the sidelines of the Ninth Ministerial Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Women, held in Islamabad, Pakistan under the theme “Social, Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in OIC Member States: Challenges and the Way Forward.”
Egypt Showcases National Models for Women’s Empowerment
During the discussions, Counselor Amal Ammar highlighted several of Egypt’s flagship initiatives designed to improve opportunities for women and girls across the country.
Among the most prominent programs presented were the Nora and Noor initiatives, launched under the patronage of Egypt’s First Lady Entissar El-Sisi. The programs focus on investing in the development of girls and boys by promoting life skills, confidence, and positive social values from an early age.
Ammar also introduced Tahwisha, Egypt’s pioneering digital savings and lending program, which has become a national model for expanding financial inclusion among women, particularly those in underserved communities. The initiative enables women to access secure digital savings and microfinance services while supporting entrepreneurship and economic independence.
The discussion also highlighted Egypt’s scientific schools initiative and its nationwide network of productive workshops, both of which provide women with vocational skills, employment opportunities, and sustainable sources of income.
Nigeria Looks to Egypt’s Digital Financial Inclusion Experience
For her part, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim outlined Nigeria’s experience in implementing savings and lending programs for women and expressed strong interest in Egypt’s successful digital transformation of the Tahwisha program.
She emphasized Nigeria’s desire to learn from Egypt’s approach to reaching women in rural and underserved communities while expanding access to microfinance and small business support. The exchange reflects growing interest in practical solutions that strengthen women’s financial inclusion and promote long-term economic resilience.
Both sides agreed that sharing successful national experiences can accelerate progress toward empowering women economically and increasing their participation in sustainable development.
Expanding Regional Cooperation Through the OIC
The meeting formed part of the broader agenda of the Ninth OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, which brings together ministers, policymakers, and senior officials from member states to strengthen cooperation on gender equality and inclusive development.
The conference focuses on expanding women’s participation in economic, social, and political life while promoting education, capacity building, leadership opportunities, and greater involvement in shaping environmental and economic policies across OIC countries.
By exchanging successful national experiences such as Egypt’s digital financial inclusion programs and Nigeria’s community-based initiatives, both countries aim to deepen cooperation and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable development throughout the Islamic world.
