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Equity Rising: Nigeria’s Opportunity to Bridge the Gender Gap

Published

4 months ago

August 20, 2025

By Nneka Acholonu Egbuna.

Gender inequity is a barrier to social cohesion. It exists in Nigeria, which is considered one of the world’s most unequal societies, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report (2025). This disparity limits basic human rights and opportunities for women.

While Nigeria has ratified many conventions and agreements in favour of gender equity and the non-discrimination of women, as well as a gender policy calling for at least 35% representation of women in governance at all levels, it still falls behind in implementing its commitments (with the exception of a few states).

The nation was thrown into shock in March 2022, when Nigeria’s National Assembly rejected five bills designed to promote gender equality and increase women’s political participation were proposed for constitutional amendment. This sparked protests across the country. The bills proposed the following:

Citizenship rights for foreign husbands – to allow Nigerian women to confer citizenship on their foreign-born husbands, as Nigerian men can for their foreign wives.
Indigeneship through marriage – women to claim their husband’s state of origin after five years of marriage.
35% affirmative action in appointment – reserving at least 35% of appointed political positions for women at the federal and state levels.
35% representation in political party leadership – women to hold at least 35% of executive positions in political parties.
Special seats for women in parliament – seats to be reserved for women in the National and State Assemblies to address the very low representation of women.

To address the situation, the National Assembly announced that the bills would be reconsidered during the next phase of constitutional amendments for the 4^th quarter of 2025.

Since 2019, the Africa Polling Institute (API) has been conducting the Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey to gauge citizens’ perceptions of unity and polarization in the country. The 2015 survey used 14 indicators —Identity, Trust, Social Justice & Equity, Civic Participation, Tolerance, Gender Equity/Disability and Inclusion, Impunity, Corruption, Natural Resource Governance, Polarization, Security and peacebuilding, Coping Strategies, Migration, and Self-worth & Future Expectations — to calculate Nigeria’s overall social cohesion index. A total of 5,465 respondents participated in the Survey with nationwide data collection covering gender, marital status, religious affiliation, age, ethnicity, and literacy levels.

According to the survey, Nigerians largely view the federal government’s efforts to promote gender equity (fairness and impartiality), protect women from discrimination and violence, ensure equal political opportunities, and punish gender-based violence offenders as insufficient. Only 28% of respondents rated the government’s overall performance in gender equity highly.The public also believes that there is a gap between women’s involvement at the grassroots level and formal political representation; women are less likely to contest elections or hold party leadership and government appointments, compared to their active participation during voting and attending rallies. The survey indicates that public perception of the Nigerian government’s efforts in promoting gender equity is largely negative, as well as the government’s endeavours to pass laws and implement policies protecting women and girls from discrimination and violence.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope and an opportunity for gender equity to thrive in the country. Although Nigerians prioritize merit over gender (according to the survey), with 79% believing qualifications and competence should be the focus, not gender, the survey indicates that there is a growing public support for female political leadership, with 63% willing to vote for a woman president and 69% for a female state governor. This willingness suggests an increasing openness for women to hold top political offices and acceptance that women can occupy prominent political roles beyond just voting.

There is a strong public support for women’s active participation in politics. Although 41% believe women should always contest elections (a 7% decrease from the 2022 survey), and 42% believe women should always hold political appointments, a notable minority still believes women should never contest (8%) or hold appointments (8%).

Eighty-seven percent of respondents support equal access to education for boys and girls, indicating a positive development. Regarding women’s leadership, 71% of respondents agree that women should be allowed to lead in various sectors, representing a positive nod and an 8% increase in support compared to previous findings. This also extends to women’s rights, with 73% supporting equal entitlement to family inheritances and equal opportunities for women who marry into other states within their husband’s state of origin. Only a small minority expressed disagreement with these advancements in gender equity.

The survey’s findings will be a valuable resource for organizations conducting initial assessments before deploying projects focused on gender equity or equality. It presents the public’s opinions about government programmes, gaps in government-to-public and public-to-government gender relations, and the opportunities that governments at various levels can leverage to engage the people in responding to their needs and priorities related to the crucial issue of gender.

Here’s a link to the full report.

By Nneka Acholonu Egbuna, Development and Humanitarian Communications Expert

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Featured

CELEBRATING A CENTURY-OLD CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR TRAJECTORY IN NIGERIA

Published

2 weeks ago

December 1, 2025

The Gleamer

This week, millions of Nigerians and others across the globe will join the Ministry of Aviation and Space Development under the irrepressible leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo(SAN),and all the notable Aviation sector stakeholders in and outside the country,in celebrating a century of Nigeria’s civil aviation history.

There is no doubt that under the present leadership of the Honourable Minister and within the short spell of time in his stewardship,he has consciously and intentionally embarked on a “silent revolution” for the industry with very veritable and laudable landmarks that have consistently grown the industry.

Some of these spirited efforts for instance have consequently led to trust restoration amongst international lessors, financier,any global partners.Of note also is assidiously working for the full domestication and implementation of the “Cape Town Convention Agreement” ,which gives Airlines access to modern fleets of competitive rates as well as enforcement of IDERA(Irrevocable Deregulation and Export Request Authorization).

Having well applauded these vital contemporary initiatives,it will also be germane to cast our minds in retrospect by taking a peep into our history over several decades to recognise some of the notable forebears in the industry whose impressionabl efforts cannot be overlooked,as they took the impetuous initiatives of breaking the ice at the nascent stage.
It will aptly corroborate the truism which says that… ” a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”.

The above is vividly captured from a tribute by the First Republic Minister of Aviation Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the funeral of late Igwe of Oba,HRH Peter Ezenwa(MFR) in 2018.
It states inter alia…”One significant thing I will say many people didn’t know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as “STANDARD AIRLINE”.It was founded in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa from Oba,and had on board,John Nwankwu from Abagana,Edward Ebo from Ezinifitte,(all from Anambra state),John Anyaehie from Nkwerre in Imo state,and lastly my very self Mbazulike Amaechi.
The five of us later acquired two brand new aircrafts,and had four pilots,namely;Unachievable,John Emma Ngwu and Felix Offor,who was to be the General Manager of the airline.
But just about the time for the take-off the crisis of the military takeover erupted in the North as the planes were on their way for delivery to us.In fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow the planes to be flown from the USA,but the news of the war broke out in 1967,the insurance company cabled for the cancellation of the deal as they will not be able to cover the risk cost of aircrafts being flown into war zone.
So,we asked the manufacturers to take the two aircrafts back to their country and hold on for six months with the hope of that the war will end within the requested time frame,but the war didn’t end as thought.We consequently asked for refund and they deducted some money and refunded the balance which was deposited at the London branch of African Continental Bank(ACB).

When the government took over the operations of ACB,we still hoped for the refund but unfortunately were disappointed that the Federal government took over the whole money and we lost everything.”

Further in line with our historical perspective,it will also be pertinent some of the later years reformists in the likes of Engr Onyereri and Harold Demuren who advertently sponsored some far reaching regulations that eventually steered the industry towards greater autonomy with the passage of the 2005 Civil Aviation Act,which I was also a prime participant of in my capacity as an Aviation sub chair in then House of Representatives.

As we mark this great century milestone,and with the clear evidential pathway set out by the current managers of the industry under the indomitable leadership of Honourable Minister, I do not see the sky posing any limitations as they say,but rather availing new vistas of limitless growth opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS.

Hon Chidi Nwogu
Former member House of Representatives & presently Governing Council member
,African Aviation and Aerospace University,Abuja.

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