Civil Society Groups Push for Women Candidates' Media Coverage

Four civil society organizations, Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), held a press conference on July 24, 2026, to demand increased media coverage for women candidates in the 2027 general elections. They reported that only 443 women were among the 4,408 candidates cleared to contest for 469 Senate and House of Representatives seats, accounting for 10.1%.

While this is an improvement from 2023, the groups emphasized that it remains insufficient. They noted that four states (Jigawa, Nasarawa, Niger, and Yobe) have no female senatorial candidates, while Akwa Ibom has the highest with ten.

GSAI Executive Director Adaora Sydney-Jack advocated for reserved legislative seats as an inclusion mechanism. PWAN Executive Director Kemi Okenyodo highlighted electoral violence as a deterrent, and CISLAC Country Director Auwal Rafsanjani pointed out the financial barriers women face in securing party tickets.

The organizations urged civil society to maintain pressure for women's political inclusion.