Women’s Participation In Leadership Still Below Expectations – Stakeholders

Stakeholders have called for stronger efforts to improve women’s participation in politics and governance in Nigeria, noting that female representation in leadership positions remains below expectations despite their proven capacity across different sectors.

The call was made during Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Kapital FM, where discussants examined the topic: “Women in Leadership: How Far Has Nigeria Gone in Promoting Women’s Participation in Politics and Public Life?”

Participants acknowledged that Nigerian women continue to contribute significantly to national development in areas such as politics, governance, business, education and civil society.

They also highlighted the global achievements of Nigerian women, including Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, and Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, as examples of women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership on the global stage.

Speaking during the programme, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council, Grace Ike, who joined the discussion via telephone, said although Nigerian women have consistently demonstrated leadership competence, their presence in elective and appointive positions remains limited.

“Women in Nigeria have proven their competence in different sectors, but when it comes to political leadership and decision-making positions, their representation is still far below expectations,” she said.

She explained that several factors, including cultural barriers, financial constraints and political party structures, continue to hinder women’s participation in politics.

Also speaking, Vice Chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists, Bolanle Ukpevo, emphasized the need for political parties to provide stronger institutional support for women seeking elective offices.

“Political parties are the gatekeepers of the democratic process. If women are to participate effectively, parties must deliberately create opportunities and support structures that enable women to contest and win elections,” she said.

The discussants also reflected on Nigeria’s 35 per cent affirmative action policy, which was introduced to increase women’s representation in governance. However, they observed that the policy has not been effectively implemented.

According to them, achieving meaningful gender inclusion requires stronger political will, effective policy implementation and sustained advocacy.

They therefore urged government, policymakers, political parties and civil society organisations to take deliberate steps to remove barriers preventing women from participating fully in leadership and decision-making processes.

“Empowering women in leadership is not just about fairness; it strengthens democracy and promotes national development,” the stakeholders emphasized.

Callers who contributed to the programme also supported the call for greater inclusion of women in governance.

One of the callers, Mr. Adams from Suleja in Niger State, noted that women have demonstrated strong administrative abilities and should be given more opportunities in leadership.

Similarly, Rakiya from Lugbe in Abuja said women often perform effectively in managerial and administrative roles and could make even greater contributions if allowed to participate more actively in governance.

The programme concluded with a call for sustained collaboration among government institutions, political parties, civil society organisations and citizens to ensure greater representation of women in Nigeria’s political and governance structures.

MON/Risi, Eugene, Uju & Chinkata