The Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) and the Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS), have called for stronger political inclusion of women in Nigeria, urging government institutions to implement the 35 percent affirmative action target for women in leadership positions.
The call was made during a policy dialogue organised by the two organisations in Kano to commemorate International Women’s Day 2026.
The event, supported by the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation, focused on the theme, “Advocating for Better Inclusion and Representation of Women at All Levels of Governance in Nigeria.”
Speaking during the dialogue, Executive Administrator of CHR, Ms Nafisa Shehu Ibrahim, presented data highlighting the persistent gender imbalance within Nigeria’s political and leadership landscape.
According to her, although women make up nearly half of Nigeria’s population, their presence in governance remains significantly low.
She noted that since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, no woman has been elected president, vice president, or governor of any state in the country.
She further revealed that women currently occupy only 4.5 percent of seats in the 10th National Assembly, far below the global average of 27 percent and the Sub-Saharan African average of 26 percent.
Ms Nafisa Ibrahim also pointed out that women hold only 15.6 percent of ministerial positions in the executive arm of government, which falls short of the 35 percent target outlined in Nigeria’s National Gender Policy.
At the state level, she said women occupy just 5.5 percent of seats in State Houses of Assembly, while 13 states currently have no female legislators.
Similarly, at the local government level, only 23 women emerged as chairpersons out of 618 positions during the 2024 local government elections.
She emphasised that the figures do not reflect the true potential of Nigerian women, stressing that women are capable leaders who have demonstrated excellence across different sectors.
To illustrate this, she cited notable Nigerian women in leadership, including Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Amina J. Mohammed and the late Professor Dora Akunyili.
She also referenced achievements of women in the private sector such as Adaora Umeoji of Zenith Bank, Owen Omogiafo of Transcorp Group, and Yemisi Edun of FCMB, as well as respected business leaders like Folorunsho Alakija and Ibukun Awosika.
Also speaking, Executive Director of YOSPIS, Zainab Nasir Ahmad, stressed that the observance of International Women’s Day should inspire concrete action toward improving opportunities for women in governance.
She noted that although the 35 percent affirmative action target has been part of Nigeria’s National Gender Policy since 2006, progress toward achieving it has remained slow.
According to her, achieving the target requires stronger policy commitment, deliberate implementation, and accountability mechanisms to ensure gender inclusion becomes a measurable national priority.
The dialogue also featured a panel discussion where participants examined key barriers limiting women’s participation in governance and proposed practical recommendations to address them.
The event attracted a wide range of participants, including representatives from the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Persons with Special Needs, members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), private media organisations, and several civil society groups.
Participants emphasised that meaningful national development requires the inclusion of women in decision-making processes.
CHR and YOSPIS reaffirmed their commitment to sustained advocacy and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure that the 35 percent affirmative action target becomes a reality in Nigeria.
