…Celebrates SUNU, NAIPE Women

MD/CEO SUNU Assurances Plc, Samuel Ogbodu (Middle) with NAIPE members and other SUNU staff at the event .

By Ngozi Onyeakusi—Sunu Group has disclosed that 50 per cent of its companies are headed by female Managing directors/CEOs and deputy managing directors .

SUNU MD, staff demonstrating the 2024 International Women’s Days theme

The Managing Director/CEO, SUNU Assurances Plc, Samuel Ogbodu stated this while celebrating women of SUNU Assurance Plc. and that the Nigeria Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) to mark the international women day in Lagos .

Delivering his welcome address at the event Ogbodu stated;

“I am thrilled seeing all of you come together today to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 and I welcome you all”, he said.

He noted that year’s theme: “Inspire Inclusion” was apt as it perfectly aligned with the core values and aspirations “we hold dear at SUNU Group”.

According to him, International Women’s Day serves as a powerful reminder of the remarkable achievements of women throughout history and the ongoing journey towards gender equality. It is a day to celebrate the strength, resilience, and contributions of women in every sphere of life.

“Inspire Inclusion” calls upon us to reflect on the importance and value of inclusivity in our workplaces, communities, and beyond. It challenges us to break down barriers and create environments where everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or background, feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive

“In our respective roles in the organization and society at large, we have a responsibility to champion inclusion in all aspects of our work”, he said.

He assured that the Group was committed to promoting inclusion.

“At SUNU Group, we are committed to promoting a culture of inclusion where it is not just celebrated but embraced as a source of strength and innovation. We recognize the importance of creating supportive and equitable environment where every employee.regardless of gender, feels empowered to reach their full potential.

Keynote Speaker, Ms Obiageli Okonkwo during her presentation at the event

On this International Women’s Day. let us reaffirm our commitment to inspire inclusion all that we do. Let us pledge to create workplaces and communities where inclusion is not only valued but celebrated, and where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.

Together, let us inspire inclusion, break down barriers, and pave the way for a more equitable, and inclusive future for all

Thank you and welcome to the 2024 SUNU Nigeria International Women’s Day!

At The Board level, we have seven members out of which four are men and women are three.

At the international Group level, there are 37 companies in 17 countries. Presently, 50% of the companies are headed by MD/CEO and Deputy MD”, he said .

Presenting a keynote speech on the theme; Inspire Inclusion: Women in Labour Force and its impact in Nigeria Growth and Development,
the MD/CEO, Financial Services Ltd, Ms Obiageli Okonkwo said the potential of women is enormous when properly harnessed, suggesting that PPP’s could combine resources to organise clusters of women in common trade and formalise their associations for symbiosis, example of the Breast Cancer screening in partnership with George Kerry life foundation.

According to her, in the survey carried out by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Statistics 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021 a recurring finding was that 98.9% of our MSME’s in Nigeria, fall under the Micro segment. This means that our Macro-economic potential in terms of contribution to GDP lied in our Micro Segment.
Of the 98.9% over 70% were traders and about 70% of those were women.