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.”

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.

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

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

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

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

“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.

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

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.

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

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

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

“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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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