Ex-Envoy Tasks Niger Delta Women On Financial Stability, Investment

Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Greece, Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe, has urged women in the Niger Delta to prioritise financial literacy, savings and investment as essential steps towards achieving financial stability and empowering their communities.
Akinkugbe made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Kilali Tribe Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The conference was held under the theme, “Her Voice, Her Power: Five Years of Impact.”
She stressed that financial independence would enable women to make informed decisions, pursue their aspirations and support others in building sustainable livelihoods.
According to her, women must acquire the financial knowledge needed to overcome barriers to economic empowerment and make meaningful contributions to their families and communities.
“The theme was about her voice and her impact, and I spoke about creative power, wealth and legacy. A critical part of this is financial knowledge, financial independence and being able to impact their own lives and the lives of others,” she said.
The former envoy maintained that financial stability was essential to effective community engagement, noting that women with adequate financial resources were better positioned to support others and contribute to development.
“You can make a huge difference in your community by being financially stable. It is very difficult to have power if you don’t have financial success, because you need money to be able to do things for other people and for your community,” she said.
Akinkugbe described her participation in the conference as a privilege, commending the Kilali Tribe for creating a platform that promotes women’s empowerment through mentorship, networking, knowledge-sharing and other developmental initiatives.
She said the organisation had provided women with opportunities to learn from one another, gain valuable experience and connect with individuals making significant contributions in different fields.
“The community that they have built and continue to build, the experience, the mentoring, the sponsorship, and learning from other women who are doing incredible things are fantastic. I am so happy to be here,” she added.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of Kilali Tribe, Dr Tonye Sekibo, said the organisation was established to make a positive impact on women and men, particularly those in the Niger Delta.
She explained that the annual conference was designed to inspire women, strengthen their capacity and equip them with the knowledge and confidence to pursue their dreams while contributing to the development of their communities and the region.
“We are a tribe about impacting women and men positively, particularly women and men in the Niger Delta,” Sekibo said.
She added that the conference was intended to recreate the inspiration that led to the formation of the Kilali Tribe five years ago while providing participants with practical opportunities for growth and empowerment.
According to her, the strong attendance at this year’s event and the contributions of the speakers demonstrated the importance of the platform in promoting women’s development.
Sekibo disclosed that the organisation had undertaken several initiatives, including mentoring women, organising webinars for secondary school students and sponsoring individuals for training at the Lagos Business School.
She also revealed that plans were underway to establish a Kilali Tribe Academy to expand the organisation’s capacity-building and empowerment programmes.
However, Sekibo identified cultural expectations, religious influences, economic limitations and prevailing mindsets as some of the challenges affecting women’s financial empowerment in the Niger Delta.
She noted that addressing these barriers would require sustained efforts to encourage women to embrace opportunities for personal development, financial independence and leadership.
“The greatest challenge, especially for women from our area, is our mindset, because we have been held back by culture, religion and the economy. All these things have held us back,” she said.
The conference brought together women and other participants to exchange experiences, share ideas and explore practical approaches to personal development, financial independence and community impact.
Through its mentorship programmes and annual gatherings, the Kilali Tribe continues to promote empowerment initiatives aimed at helping women realise their potential and contribute more effectively to the development of the Niger Delta.