Women Face Exclusion in Nigeria's Political Landscape

Juliet Akoj, founder of Foundation Africa, and Osasu Igbinedion raised concerns about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria, particularly as party primaries approach for the 2027 general elections. Igbinedion highlighted that women currently hold only 4% of seats in the National Assembly, far below the global average of 26.9%.

She referenced a statement by former Liberian President and Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, emphasizing the need to empower women in politics. Igbinedion noted that Nigeria ranks 180th out of 185 nations in women's parliamentary representation.

Despite efforts to advocate for reserved seats for women, including a proposed constitutional amendment, progress remains stalled in the National Assembly. The campaign for reserved seats has received endorsements from prominent political figures, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Igbinedion criticized the political parties for sidelining women and stressed that the trend cuts across several parties, including the PDP and APC.