Naomi Nwokolo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Nigeria, spoke on a panel at the Woven Impact Network International Women’s Day webinar on 12 March 2026.
She was joined on the panel by Olasubomi Sofowora, Founder of the Woven Impact Network; Olubunmi Abejirin, a customer experience and retail sales expert; and Adaorie Udechukwu, Senior Gender Advisor for Africa at the International Finance Corporation. The session was moderated by Mariam Lawani, a circular economy and sustainability specialist.
The discussion centred on the importance of amplifying women’s voices as a driver of inclusive and sustainable growth. Panellists examined how visibility functions in practice, and where the presence of women in a conversation translates into influence over its outcome rather than attendance at it.
From there the panel turned to the need to strengthen women’s leadership and decision-making power across sectors. The distinction between representation and decision rights ran through much of the session, with speakers drawing on their own sectors to illustrate where the two come apart.
Speakers closed by emphasising equitable access to opportunities as a key enabler of both gender equality and broader societal progress, situating the day’s conversation within the longer-term structural work rather than the annual commemoration.