The West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) has declared that gender equity is not just a question of fairness but a strategic imperative for Africa’s long-term growth, innovation, and institutional resilience.
The declaration came at the opening of a five-day regional workshop on “Women in Leadership: Understanding Gender Dynamics in the Workplace,” held in Sinkor, Monrovia, from September 15-19, 2025.
The event, hosted in collaboration with the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), brought together policymakers, financial managers, gender advocates, and professionals from across West Africa to strengthen women’s leadership capacity and dismantle persistent barriers to inclusion.
Representing WAIFEM’s Director General, Dr. Baba Y. Musa, the institute’s Director of Governance and Institutional Development, Dr. Alvin Johnson emphasized that Africa cannot afford to underutilize half of its population’s talent.
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“Research has shown that when women assume leadership roles, organizations benefit from stronger governance, more collaborative cultures, and greater innovation,” Dr. Johnson said. “Mainstreaming gender is not just about political correctness–it is about economic efficiency, institutional resilience, and long-term sustainability.”
He stressed that WAIFEM has made gender inclusion a central pillar of its institutional strategy, embedding equity into its training programs and leadership initiatives.
“Between 2008 and 2015, women made up just 27 percent of WAIFEM’s training. By 2024, female participation had increased to over 40 percent,” Dr. Johnson revealed. “This progress is encouraging, but it also reminds us that more deliberate action is needed to achieve true parity.”
Dr. Johnson tied WAIFEM’s work to broader global evidence, citing recent reports from international institutions.
“The International Monetary Fund’s 2024 report found that closing the gender gap in leadership could raise GDP by an average of 20 percent across low- and middle-income countries,” he noted. “Similarly, the World Economic Forum estimated that persistent underfunding of women-led enterprises represents a missed opportunity of more than $5 trillion annually.”
He added that the United Nations has long affirmed gender equality as both a human right and a foundation for sustainable development.
“Our region cannot afford to leave half of its talent underutilized,” Dr. Johnson insisted. “Empowering women is a necessity for economic growth, social stability, and institutional strength.”
Dr. Johnson outlined WAIFEM’s approach, which includes integrating gender perspectives into all training programs, increasing the number of female facilitators, pushing member institutions to nominate more women, and creating internships and mentorships for female graduates.
He further announced that WAIFEM plans to make the Women in Leadership Program a recurring feature of its training calendar, expand international partnerships, publish gender-focused research, and build structural career pathways for women in economics, finance, and policy.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of CBL Executive Governor Henry F. Saamoi, the Bank’s Chief Legal Counsel, Cllr. Ruth M. Jappah-Samukai, described the workshop as “timely and transformative.”
“This gathering is not just a platform for dialogue. It is a clarion call for action to ensure that leadership is not defined by gender, but by talent, integrity, and the ability to inspire results,” she said.
Cllr. Jappah-Samukai argued that gender inequities are often embedded subtly in workplace culture–through decisions about who is mentored, who is promoted, or whose voice is heard in meetings.
“Implicit bias, unequal power structures, and microaggressions silently limit women’s potential. To transform workplaces, we must dismantle these invisible ceilings,” she urged.
She warned that despite progress; women remain severely underrepresented in global leadership.
“In 2024, women held only 7.7 percent of Fortune 500 leadership roles and less than 11 percent of technology leadership positions in Europe,” she said. “Meanwhile, women entrepreneurs continue to secure only a fraction of venture capital funding, representing a global missed opportunity of over $5 trillion.”
Cllr. Jappah-Samukai echoed the words of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black U.S. congresswoman, who famously said that women should “bring a folding chair” when excluded from leadership spaces.
“Today, we must go further,” she declared. “We must not only claim seats–we must redesign the table itself. Equity must be embedded in hiring, promotions, boardrooms, and budgets. This is not a women’s issue; it is an organizational, economic, and moral imperative.”
She called for breaking stereotypes, engaging men as allies, enforcing equal pay, reforming workplace policies, supporting women entrepreneurs, and ensuring accountability through gender-sensitive budgeting.
Throughout the five-day program, participants will undergo training in leadership skills, negotiation, communication, and confidence-building, while also exploring systemic reforms needed to advance gender parity in leadership across the region.
Both WAIFEM and CBL leaders expressed optimism that the workshop will not only equip women with technical skills but also spark institutional change.
“Empowering women in leadership is not just about fairness,” Dr. Johnson concluded. “It is a strategic imperative for innovation, growth, and resilience. Through this workshop, we are laying the foundation for stronger, more inclusive institutions in West Africa.”
