Former Malawi President, Joyce Banda, has urged women to participate in politics and challenge barriers limiting their participation in political decision-making, saying Africa cannot progress by excluding half of its talent.
Banda made the call in Abuja on Saturday at the 2026 graduation ceremony of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), an unconventional school established to improve political leadership in Africa.
The ceremony themed: “Breaking the Monopoly: Building Nigeria’s New Political Leadership Pipeline,” brought together outstanding professionals, drawn from the public, business and civil society sector.
Banda said women must actively participate in politics, governance and decision-making, stressing that their inclusion was critical to building an inclusive African society.
The former president urged women not to wait for invitations to leadership positions but to persistently engage men and challenge structures that excluded them from positions of influence.
“Too often, women have been told, directly or indirectly, that politics is no place for them.
“Even when they enter, they encounter structures and practices that make participation and advancement unnecessarily difficult,” she said.
Banda said women were often mobilised to build political movements but sidelined when positions of influence and decision-making were allocated.
She called for a new approach to political leadership that would create opportunities for women, young people, professionals and reform-minded citizens outside traditional political networks.
“Women belong in the room where decisions are made; you belong in public institutions, you belong in political parties, you belong in parliament.
“You belong in executive leadership and wherever the future of your communities and countries is being decided,” she said.
The former president said Africa’s abundant natural and human resources could be harnessed for sustainable development if leaders demonstrated the character, competence and capacity required to govern effectively.
She commended SPPG for providing a platform to bridge knowledge gaps and equip aspiring leaders with the skills to understand governance challenges and develop practical solutions.
Dr Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education and SPPG Founder, congratulated the graduands and challenged them to apply the knowledge acquired during their studies to improve political leadership and governance.
Ezekwesili said the school had graduated more than 1,000 students across Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya since its establishment in 2021.
She said SPPG would continue to monitor its graduands and would not hesitate to revoke their certificates if they failed to uphold the values and standards promoted by the institution.
“We told you that the greatest gap in Africa, other than the issue of a lack of character in public leadership, is the absence of competencies that would be able to think through policies in the right way.
“And so we taught you a multidisciplinary programme for your curriculum.
“With the kind of intentionality with which the curriculum was designed, we raise a different kind of leaders who can enter the arena and completely stand their ground,” she said.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr Patrick Achi, underscored the need to equip emerging leaders with the knowledge and skills required to address Africa’s development challenges.
Achi said the continent needed leaders with the character, competence and capacity to translate its abundant natural and human resources into improved living conditions for its people.
He noted that despite Africa’s vast mineral resources and human capital, the continent continued to face development challenges requiring effective leadership and active citizen participation.
The lawmaker expressed optimism that equipping aspiring leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills would strengthen their contributions to governance and community development.
He urged the graduands to view leadership as a responsibility to serve the people and work towards the common good.
The Dean of SPPG Nigeria, Associate Prof. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, highlighted the importance of developing a new generation of leaders equipped with the knowledge, values and practical skills to address Nigeria’s governance challenges.
She said the school remained committed to nurturing leaders, who would promote accountability, integrity and inclusive governance, while applying the knowledge acquired to deliver meaningful change in their communities and the country.
The overall best male graduating student, Mr Merit, and the best female graduating student, Ms Chinyere, expressed appreciation to the school’s founder, management and faculty for their contributions to their academic development.
They urged their fellow graduands to translate the knowledge acquired into practical actions that would improve Nigeria and Africa.
Merit, who was also named the overall most outstanding graduating student, pledged the commitment of the graduating class to working collectively towards the development of Nigeria and the African continent.
