Breaking Barriers: IPC, ElectHER Demand Bold Action for Nigerian Women’s Rights and Empowerment
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On the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, the International Press Centre (IPC) and ElectHER have jointly sounded the alarm on the urgent need for transformative action to safeguard the rights and advance the empowerment of women and girls in Nigeria. Drawing inspiration from the United Nations Women’s 2025 theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” the two organizations are calling on the Nigerian government and key stakeholders to prioritize women’s inclusion in leadership and address the systemic challenges impeding gender equality.
With fewer than five years remaining to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IPC and ElectHER underscore the vital importance of SDG 5, which focuses on gender equality. They stress that progress on this goal directly influences the achievement of all 16 other goals, highlighting the necessity of closing gender gaps to unlock the full potential of Nigerian women as drivers of economic growth and national prosperity.
Despite incremental advancements in women’s representation, the statistics tell a sobering story of Nigeria’s lagging performance. As of February 2024, women occupied only six of 34 ministerial positions, held six deputy governorships, and accounted for a mere 3.9% of parliamentary seats. This dismal representation places Nigeria 116th out of 190 countries in UN Women’s 2024 global rankings on women in executive positions, underlining a dire need for intensified efforts to address systemic gender inequality.
Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of IPC, highlighted the critical role of the media in shaping public perceptions and advancing women’s participation in leadership. “The media’s influence in shaping gender narratives is undeniable, reinforcing IPC’s commitment to empowering female journalists and supporting female candidates with essential media skills. While progress has been made, achieving these goals requires continued collaboration to ensure women’s active participation in leadership roles,” Arogundade emphasized.
In parallel, Ibijoke Faborode, Founder and CEO of ElectHER, linked women’s leadership to Nigeria’s broader developmental aspirations. “As we mark IWD 2025, ElectHER remains committed to equipping women with the skills, resources, and opportunities needed to thrive in political and leadership positions.
“The path to gender equity is not just a moral imperative; studies show that nations with greater women’s representation in government experience higher GDP growth, increased investment in social sectors like health and education, and stronger commitments to peace and security,” Faborode affirmed.
To address the glaring disparities and close the gender gap, IPC and ElectHER are championing a range of strategic actions. These include the passage of gender-responsive bills such as the Additional Seats Bill and Independent Candidacy Bill to enhance women’s political representation.
The organizations also call for the full implementation and enforcement of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act across all Nigerian states to protect women and girls from violence and discrimination.
In addition, the enforcement of affirmative action remains central to their recommendations, particularly through the expedited passage and implementation of the 35% Affirmative Action Bill to ensure women occupy a significant share of leadership and decision-making roles.
Gender-responsive budgeting and initiatives to expand women’s economic opportunities are also high on the agenda, alongside improved access to affordable healthcare, including reproductive and maternal health services.
To sustain progress, IPC and ElectHER emphasize the need to establish robust accountability mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the implementation of gender policies, ensuring measurable outcomes and transparency.
As Nigeria reflects on its progress and the path forward, IPC and ElectHER’s joint message underscores an urgent truth: achieving gender equality is not merely an ideal but a prerequisite for the nation’s sustainable development.
Their rallying cry seeks to inspire collective action from government leaders, policymakers, civil society, and citizens alike to break down barriers and build a future where Nigerian women and girls can thrive without limits.
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