Nigeria’s female political representation remains one of the lowest globally, with only 4% of women holding legislative power. Despite a female population exceeding 104 million, just 21 women currently serve in the National Assembly.
Why it Matters
With the 2027 elections approaching, the window to fix this imbalance is closing. The Reserved Seats for Women Bill, which would guarantee special seats in the National and State Assemblies, remains stalled. Without its passage, Nigeria risks locking women out of power for another four-year cycle.
State of Play
- 13 Nigerian states have zero female representation in their State Houses of Assembly, effectively silencing women’s voices in local lawmaking.
- On a 100% scale, even the top performers failed to cross the 25% mark.
- Katsina state recorded the lowest score in the country at 0.04 out of 10, reflecting near-total exclusion.
- Ogun and Kwara states lead the nation, yet even their top scores of 2.3 out of 10 highlight how far the country remains from gender parity.
State-by-State: Women’s Inclusion in Political Leadership (out of 10)
Scores are based on women in top executive positions, senate, House of Representatives, state assembly, permanent secretaries, commissioners, local government chairs, and councillors.
Author, Anuoluwa Bukola