COSPA Urges African Legislatures to Boost Women's Inclusion

During an exclusive interview at the 2026 Gender and Inclusion Summit (GS-26) in Abuja, Mr. Dapo Oyewole, the Secretary-General of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (COSPA), called for African legislatures to advance women's political inclusion. He highlighted the importance of leadership, electoral law reforms, and compelling political parties to ensure greater access for women to elective positions.

Oyewole proposed mandatory affirmative action, particularly at the nomination stage, to address the ongoing gap in women's political representation, advocating for a requirement of 50 percent female participation in nominations. He cited Rwanda, South Africa, and Senegal as examples of countries with effective legal provisions for women's representation.

Oyewole acknowledged that legislation alone would not suffice to close Nigeria's representation gap, as social, cultural, and economic factors deter women from seeking office. He called for dedicated resources to support women candidates and encouraged mutual support among women and male allies.

COSPA is also developing a gender-responsive legislative agenda framework and a mentorship initiative for young Nigerians.