By Joy Baba-Yesufu
The Federal Government has renewed calls for stronger gender diversity and expanded leadership opportunities for women in Nigerian newsrooms, insisting that equitable representation is critical to strengthening the nation’s media landscape.
Speaking at a one-day capacity-building workshop for female journalists in Abuja, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said women remain central to national development but continue to face limited visibility and underrepresentation in newsroom leadership and editorial decision-making.
The event, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat and organised by the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) FCT Chapter, had as its theme “Workplace Diversification: Advancing Female Journalists’ Role in the Newsroom.”
Walson-Jack said the theme aligns with federal reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which prioritises digital skills, merit-driven career progression, and fair representation. She noted that while the civil service has recorded improvements in women’s participation at strategic levels, the media industry still lags in achieving gender-balanced leadership.
“Workplace diversification is not charity or tokenism; it is a strategic necessity. When women sit at the table, institutions make better decisions, and the national narrative becomes richer and more complete,” she said.
She warned that gaps in women’s representation inevitably affect storytelling, weaken empathy in reporting, and limit the breadth of public discourse.
NAWOJ National Chairperson, Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim, also reinforced the association’s commitment to advancing gender inclusion, describing diversification as essential for credible journalism. She said female journalists continue to face barriers ranging from subtle workplace biases to limited access to decision-making roles.
“At NAWOJ, we are committed to breaking down these barriers and advocating for equitable opportunities. This training equips participants with the confidence and tools needed to take their rightful place at editorial tables,” she said.
According to Ibrahim, gender-diverse newsrooms enrich public storytelling, deepen accountability, and ensure national narratives reflect social realities.
Earlier, NAWOJ FCT Chairperson, Bassey Ita-Ikpang, said the workshop was designed to strengthen women’s skills in digital journalism, improve leadership capacity and help them overcome structural challenges such as visibility gaps, work–life pressures, and limited career advancement.
She praised past leaders of the association for building a strong foundation and encouraged participants to make maximum use of the training sessions, which featured newsroom executives, digital experts, senior editors, and media strategists.
The programme drew participants from various media organisations and provided a wide platform for conversations on digital transformation in the media, newsroom innovation, leadership development, and improved representation of women in decision-making positions.
