By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Northwest Zone, has called for deliberate measu...
By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Northwest Zone, has called for deliberate measures to position more women for top leadership positions in universities, including as registrars, bursars and vice chancellors.
The association said women were already making significant contributions to university administration but remained underrepresented in strategic positions where major institutional policies and decisions were made.
Hajiya Hauwa Danbatta, North West,
Zonal Women Coordinator of SSANU, stated at a two-day 2026 Zonal Women Conference of the association held at ABU Zaria.
The conference, with the theme, “From Support to Strategy: Elevating Women in University Governance,” was designed to encourage women to move beyond traditional support roles and prepare themselves for greater participation in university governance.
Danbatta said socio-religious norms and values in the Northwest had continued to restrict the active participation of many women in union activities, affecting their visibility and progression into leadership positions.
“The socio-religious norms and values restrict many women from active participation in union activities, hence the choice of the conference topic,” she said.
She said SSANU would strengthen awareness through conferences and workshops, as well as strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the university sector.
“Going forward, we want to see more women taking leadership roles as principal officers of the universities, such as registrars, bursars and even vice chancellors.
“We will strengthen awareness through conferences and workshops, in addition to strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector,” Danbatta said.
According to her, the objective was not merely to increase the number of women working in universities but to ensure their visibility, influence and adequate representation at decision-making levels.
She said women were contributing to university development across different departments, professions and levels of administration.
“Women can never be strangers to the development of the universities; we work in different departments, at different levels and indeed in all professions.
“We contribute to policy implementation; we provide essential services every single day, yet the journey from participation to leadership remains a challenge,” she said.
Danbatta stressed the need for intentional leadership development, mentorship and acquisition of leadership skills to prepare competent women for greater responsibilities.
She also called for an enabling environment where competent women would be encouraged, mentored and prepared to assume leadership positions.
The conference, with the theme, “From Support to Strategy: Elevating Women in University Governance,” was designed to encourage women to move beyond traditional support roles and prepare themselves for greater participation in university governance.
Danbatta said socio-religious norms and values in the Northwest had continued to restrict the active participation of many women in union activities, affecting their visibility and progression into leadership positions.
“The socio-religious norms and values restrict many women from active participation in union activities, hence the choice of the conference topic,” she said.
She said SSANU would strengthen awareness through conferences and workshops, as well as strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the university sector.
“Going forward, we want to see more women taking leadership roles as principal officers of the universities, such as registrars, bursars and even vice chancellors.
“We will strengthen awareness through conferences and workshops, in addition to strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector,” Danbatta said.
According to her, the objective was not merely to increase the number of women working in universities but to ensure their visibility, influence and adequate representation at decision-making levels.
She said women were contributing to university development across different departments, professions and levels of administration.
“Women can never be strangers to the development of the universities; we work in different departments, at different levels and indeed in all professions.
“We contribute to policy implementation; we provide essential services every single day, yet the journey from participation to leadership remains a challenge,” she said.
Danbatta stressed the need for intentional leadership development, mentorship and acquisition of leadership skills to prepare competent women for greater responsibilities.
She also called for an enabling environment where competent women would be encouraged, mentored and prepared to assume leadership positions.
Also speaking, the National Vice-President, Northwest Zone of SSANU, Malam Sabo Wudil, said the conference was part of the association’s constitutional responsibility to organise conferences, workshops and other capacity-building programmes for its members.
He said the programme was designed to equip women with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to participate effectively in leadership and decision-making processes within the university system.
According to him, the conference also provides participants with an opportunity to broaden their understanding of contemporary issues affecting women in the workplace, while encouraging them to aspire to leadership positions and contribute meaningfully to the development of their institutions.
Wudil added that SSANU remained committed to creating platforms that would strengthen the capacity of its members, noting that empowering women through continuous training and enlightenment was essential to ensuring effective representation and inclusive leadership in Nigerian universities.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, commended the SSANU zonal women wing for sustaining the tradition of bringing women from universities across the zone together to reflect on their place in the system.
The vice-chancellor, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Bello Sabo, said women in academic and non-academic cadres had for decades contributed significantly to university administration, student welfare, finance and registry services.
He, however, observed that despite their contributions, women remained underrepresented in spaces where strategies and policies were formulated and budgets prepared and approved.
Ahmed said the distinction between support and strategy was important because universities depended on decisions on programmes, staff promotion, policies and other institutional matters.
He said elevating women into strategic roles would strengthen universities by bringing their experience, judgement and insight into institutional decision-making.
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