Employees of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Women Affairs have staged a protest at the ministry's headquarters in Abuja, accusing Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim of neglect, arrogance, and inadequate support for daily operations, leading to the locking of the gates and barring her entry.

The workers, including union leaders, booed the minister and chanted demands for her removal, citing a lack of basic tools like stationery and the use of personal funds for official tasks. Staff member Anne Ojubele stated, "We don’t have working tools. Even a piece of paper to write on, we don’t have. Most times, we use our personal money to work, and when we complain, she said she is not accountable to us and that we should go and meet Mr. President Tinubu and complain to him."

Another employee, Alake Success, described the minister as inaccessible, saying, "This woman has refused to mingle with staff... She has more than 25 SAs, yet we don’t have a cordial working relationship. What we want is for her to be posted to another ministry." The protesters also alleged misuse of overhead allocations for the minister's aides and the absence of cleaners, with one union leader claiming the previous minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, was more effective.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, appointed in October 2024 as a certified human resource manager, has not held meetings with staff or unions since her deployment, according to the workers. The demonstration, which lasted several hours, highlighted broader welfare issues, including unpaid allowances and no training programs.

In response, the ministry issued a statement signed by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Jonathan Eze, acknowledging staff rights to voice concerns but insisting such actions adhere to civil service protocols. The statement defended the minister's understanding of staff welfare and professional development, noting she advocates for these within resource constraints.

It clarified that financial and administrative matters, including procurement, fall under the Permanent Secretary as the Chief Accounting Officer, who will engage directors to assess grievances and recommend solutions.