The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called for a more dignified portrayal of Africa, urging governments, development partners and the media to project the continent’s strengths rather than poverty and suffering.

The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at a women leaders’ networking reception organised by UNDP in partnership with the Federal Ministries of Women Affairs and Foreign Affairs.

The reception is in honour of the outgoing UNDP Assistant Secretary-General/Regional Director for Africa, now appointed Special Adviser on Africa by the UN Secretary-General, Ahunna Eziakonwa.

Ms Attafuah said Africa should be recognised as a continent of opportunities, innovation, investment and transformation, driven by African leadership, homegrown ideas and practical solutions that promoted inclusive growth and sustainable development.

She urged a shift from narratives of deprivation to stories reflecting resilience, entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation and Africans’ growing contributions to global development.

She stated, “Africa is not a continent waiting to be rescued. It is creating solutions, building businesses and shaping its own future with confidence.

“We must stop defining Africa by poverty and suffering alone. The world should also see our ideas, talents, investments and the remarkable progress taking place across the continent every day.”

The UNDP representative in Nigeria credited Ms Eziakonwa with championing African ownership, partnerships and innovation while repositioning development conversations around industrialisation, enterprise and African-led solutions.

She said initiatives introduced under Ms Eziakonwa’s leadership had strengthened entrepreneurship, trade, women’s political participation, youth development and regional integration through strategic partnerships.

According to her, programmes such as ‘timbuktoo’ technology hubs and support for the African Continental Free Trade Area are unlocking Africa’s economic potential.

She added that Nigeria benefited from innovation hubs in Lagos and Keffi, while another manufacturing technology hub would soon be inaugurated in Abia State.

She described the gathering as a platform for dialogue, collaboration and stronger partnerships among women leaders across government, business, diplomacy, academia, civil society and development organisations.

She stressed that inclusive leadership remained critical to stronger institutions, sustainable development and economic growth.

“Transformation is never achieved by institutions working alone. It is accelerated when leaders unite around shared purpose, shared ambition and shared action,” she said.

Ms Attafuah urged participants to build a sustainable network capable of influencing policy, nurturing future women leaders and generating practical solutions for development.

In her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, called for stronger partnerships among women to advance inclusive development, national progress and opportunities for future generations.

Ms Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that Nigerian and African women continued to demonstrate resilience and excellence despite challenges, urging them to support one another through stronger collaboration and mentorship.

“Every woman has a story of sacrifice, resilience and success. When we stand together, we become a stronger force for national and continental transformation,” she said.

The minister added that the partnership between UNDP and the ministries of women affairs and foreign affairs would strengthen women’s visibility in governance, peacebuilding, leadership and economic development.

She said that programmes such as the Nigeria for Women Project and the Scale-Up Project were expanding women’s economic empowerment across the country.

Similarly, the wife of the Imo State governor, Chioma Uzodimma, described Ms Eziakonwa as an inspiration whose achievements reflected the global potential of Nigerian women.

“Her achievements remind young girls that excellence, integrity and dedication can open doors to global leadership,” she said.

In the same vein, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, wife of the Kwara Governor, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, called for sustained partnerships to improve the lives of women, children and vulnerable communities through investments in education, healthcare and economic empowerment.

She said governments and development partners must continue working together to reduce poverty and expand opportunities for disadvantaged groups.

In her response, the newly appointed UN Special Adviser on Africa, Ms Eziakonwa, called for greater investment in women’s leadership, describing African women as one of the continent’s greatest but under-utilised development assets.

She said Africa’s future depended on the quality of leaders it nurtures, urging governments and institutions to create more opportunities for women in governance, innovation, business and economic transformation.

“The more important question is whether Africa is creating the conditions that allow women to lead transformation at the scale our future demands.

“Empowering women is not simply a gender issue but a development imperative,” she said.

Ms Eziakonwa also harped on dignified reports on Africa, emphasising that though the continent’s challenges had not disappeared, the extraordinary ingenuity, resilience and determination of African people surmounted many challenges.

She highlighted UNDP’s support for the African Facility for Women in Political Leadership and the Africa Academy for Women in Political Leadership, which attracted more than 1,300 applicants from 41 African countries, including Nigeria.

She urged governments, businesses, development partners and civil society to invest in inclusive leadership, mentorship and stronger institutions to shape Africa’s next chapter.
(NAN)