The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has called for deliberate strategies to position more women for leadership and decision-making roles in universities across the North-West.

Hauwa Danbatta, zonal women coordinator for the North-West zone of SSANU, made the call at a two-day zonal women conference of the association in Zaria on Friday.

Ms Danbatta said socio-religious norms and values in the North-West had continued to restrict many women from active participation in union activities, affecting their visibility and progression into leadership positions.

“The socio-religious norms and values restrict many women from active participation in union activities, hence the choice of the conference topic,” Ms Danbatta said.

She said the conference was designed to energise women working in universities to identify and showcase their leadership strengths while positioning themselves for greater participation in decision-making.

“Going forward, we want to see more women taking leadership roles as principal officers of the universities, such as registrars, bursars and even vice chancellors. We will strengthen awareness through conferences and workshops, in addition to strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector,” she said.

According to her, the objective is not merely to increase the number of women in universities but to ensure their visibility, influence and adequate representation at decision-making levels.

Ms Danbatta said women already contribute significantly to university development through their roles in different departments, professions, and levels of administration.

“Women can never be strangers to the development of the universities. We work in different departments, at different levels and indeed in all professions. We contribute to policy implementation; we provide essential services every single day, yet the journey from participation to leadership remains a challenge,” she said.

She stressed the need for intentional leadership development, mentorship, and leadership skill-building to prepare competent women for greater responsibilities across universities.

Ms Danbatta also called for an enabling environment where competent women would be encouraged, mentored and prepared to assume leadership responsibilities.

She said the conference aimed to inspire women to strategically position themselves for leadership roles and contribute more effectively to transforming university governance.

Adamu Ahmed, vice-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, commended the SSANU zonal women’s wing for sustaining the tradition of bringing women from universities within the zone together to reflect on their place in the system.

Mr Ahmed, represented by the deputy vice-chancellor, administration, Bello Sabo, said women in academic and non-academic cadres had for decades contributed significantly to university administration, student welfare, finance and registry services.

He, however, observed that despite their contributions, women remained underrepresented in spaces where strategies and policies were formulated and budgets prepared and approved.

The vice-chancellor said the distinction between support and strategy mattered because universities depended on decisions about programmes, staff promotion and policies, among others. He said elevating women into strategic roles would strengthen universities by bringing their experience, judgement and insight into institutional decision-making.

Sabo Wudil, national vice-president of the North-West Zone of SSANU, said the conference was part of the association’s constitutional responsibility to organise conferences and workshops for members. He said the programme was designed to equip and enlighten women to prepare adequately for leadership positions in the university system.

(NAN)