Muslim women, under the aegis of The Criterion, an association of Muslim women in business and professions, will converge in Lagos to discuss transcending barriers and making meaningful contributions to national development.

Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule, representing Lagos West Senatorial District, will lead the members of The Criterion at its 2025 Biennial International Conference tagged “EKO-AKETE 2025.”

The four-day event, themed “Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Muslim Women Overcoming Economic and Social Challenges”, according toa statement signed by Hajia Ibironke Siddqah Ogun, the National Chairman of the Planning Committee, will take place from Wednesday, November 12 to Sunday, November 16, 2025, at the Orchid Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State.

Senator Adebule, a distinguished educationist, writer, and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State (2015–2019), is a long-standing member of The Criterion.

She continues to play an active role in the association’s mission to empower Muslim women through faith, leadership, and professionalism.

According to the International Ameerah of The Criterion, Hajia Medinat Akanni, the 2025 edition will serve as a platform for Muslim women to share ideas, strengthen shared values, and explore practical solutions to economic and social challenges within a faith-based framework.

“EKO-AKETE 2025 will inspire and unite Muslim women across professional and social spheres, encouraging them to transcend barriers and contribute meaningfully to national development,” Hajia Akanni stated.

The conference will feature thought-provoking lectures, rural da’wah programmes, project commissioning, students’ and Alasalatu activities, sports, and interactive networking sessions among professional Muslim women from Nigeria and beyond.

The formal opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., with an impressive lineup of dignitaries, including Professor (Mrs.) Olayinka Ramota Karim, Vice Chancellor, Fountain University, Osogbo; Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Ustaz Dhikrullah Olakunle Hassan, Former Chairman, NAHCON, amongst others.

Through this landmark gathering, The Criterion reaffirms its dedication to promoting the spiritual, social, and economic advancement of Muslim women, while fostering leadership, service, and collaboration rooted in Islamic values.