Nigeria, often celebrated as “The Giant of Africa,” faces significant challenges such as insecurity, limited access to quality education, and high unemployment rates. Despite its vibrant and youthful population, these issues threaten the country’s Development. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that over 10 million Nigerian girls are out of school – that’s 60% of the country’s out-of-school children.
Nabila Aguele has made it her mission to address these issues through policy reforms, advocacy, and initiatives to transform education and empower girls. In this new Credo Voices episode, we delve into Nabila Aguele’s return to Nigeria after many years in the Diaspora. Her strong desire to drive systemic change led her to serve in various capacities as a Special Adviser to the Minister of State and later the Minister of Finance, Budget, and Planning for seven years.
In these roles, she was pivotal in developing gender-responsive fiscal policies and spearheading initiatives to ensure that public financial management and capital expenditure are impact-driven. She also championed women’s empowerment as a critical factor in economic development, actively promoting economic growth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly advancing SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 17: Partnership for The Goals.
Nabila’s remarkable efforts included leading the development and initial implementation of Nigeria’s Integrated Financing Framework and Gender-Responsive Budget from the Minister’s office. Drawing on her expertise as a lawyer, public policy expert, and gender equality advocate, as well as her personal experiences, she passionately champions sustainable development, gender equality and data/narrative-based advocacy to shift norms.
.Beyond her advisory roles, Nabila serves on the boards of Women for Women International, INSEAD, and Girl Rising. At Girl Rising, she is Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee. Girl Rising is a global nonprofit that combines storytelling with girl-child education to break down barriers and empower girls. Her commitment to education and empowering young girls demonstrates her dedication to nurturing a sustainable future for women.
As we explore Nabila’s journey, we learn how allyship is critical for gender-focused policy initiatives. Her work underscores the importance of empowering women as a crucial step towards building sustainable communities, driving economic growth, and enhancing resilience against global challenges.
Credo CEO Awele Okigbo stated, “It was really inspiring talking with Nabila. She proves that catalytic change can happen in government with just a few dedicated allies working towards the same goal.”
Listen to the full episode on Spotify and visit our website for more information. To learn more about Nabila Aguele and her work at Girl Rising, visit Girl Rising and follow her on Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
New episodes of Credo Voices are released monthly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube as part of Credo Advisory’s commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering a global community of change-makers.
