A quiet revolution is unfolding in Nigerian homes, and it has little to do with power suits or boardroom titles. It’s happening in the way couples talk — especially about money, meaning, and mutuality. And nowhere was this more powerfully visible than at the Marriage & Money Summit 1.0, held in Lagos and convened by Dr Adetutu Afolabi.
What set this summit apart was not just its bold confrontation of one of the most destabilizing issues in Nigerian marriages (financial stress) but the elevation of women’s roles from silent supporters to visionary co-builders in both family and enterprise.
Throughout the event, a consistent theme emerged: Nigerian women are not only asking questions about money; they’re asking bigger questions about alignment, equity, and the kind of marriage that reflects God’s original design.
But one of the most memorable moments came not from data or theory, but from personal testimony shared by her husband, Dr Olugbenga Victor Afolabi.
Speaking with a calm depth that held the room, Dr Olugbenga told their story, a story of openness, evolving partnership, and a commitment to communication about not just how money is earned, but what it means. “We had to go beyond budgets and bills,” he said. “She had to understand what money meant to me growing up, what it symbolised, what fears or beliefs it carried. Only then could our conversations truly become honest.”
This was a call to emotional literacy, an invitation for husbands not only to provide, but also to partner. For wives to not only support, but to co-create. For both to build something bigger than themselves.
The convener reiterated that the idea that money conversations must be contextual, not just transactional, reframed finance as not merely a tool, but a mirror of family history and emotional wiring. And it underscored why so many marriages falter not for lack of love, but for lack of language around money.
As Dr Adetutu Afolabi put it, “This summit is about understanding purpose and the belief that every individual who has confidence in themselves is capable of being successful in their career and marriage. It’s about returning to a divine design where both partners are seen, heard, and empowered to build wealth together.”
In a society where gender roles in marriage have often been narrowly defined, the Marriage & Money Summit served as a cultural reset, offering not only tools but a new imagination for what marriage can be when power is shared and vision is mutual.
