2027: Where Are the Women?

Ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general election, a recent analysis of candidate lists reveals that women remain severely underrepresented among candidates vying for various political positions. Out of the 4,881 candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only 471 are women, representing a paltry 9.65 percent.

This figure falls far short of the 35 percent affirmative action target. The disparity is particularly stark in the National Assembly, where women comprise just 9.44 percent of the 1,303 cleared candidates for senatorial elections and 9.72 percent of the 3,560 cleared candidates for the House of Representatives.

The presidential election presents the most significant gender imbalance, with only two women among the 18 cleared candidates, or 11.11 percent. Despite this, the two female presidential candidates, Okwori Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Okereke Esther of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), have made headlines.

For the House of Representatives, Lagos leads with 31 female candidates, followed by Imo and Anambra, each with 21 and 20 candidates respectively. However, several states have only one female senatorial candidate, highlighting the uneven distribution of women across the political landscape.

In response to the findings, the Communication Manager of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Mujidat Agbabiaka, emphasized that this data is not merely about the number of women on the ballot but raises questions about the accessibility of political leadership for women. She called for political parties to make a "deliberate commitment to more gender balance and inclusion."

Tracy Ohovwore of the Renevlyn Development Initiative echoed this sentiment, stating that the minimal representation of women in Nigeria's political sphere reflects a deeper societal issue, where women's pressing issues are often overlooked and treated with indifference.

Executive Director of Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, expressed serious concerns about the persistent underrepresentation of women, noting that their low presence among candidates points to structural barriers such as the high cost of electoral politics, unequal access to networks and financing, discriminatory attitudes, and political violence.

He advocated for a reevaluation of legal and policy measures to improve women's political representation, including the consideration of special or reserved seats and other affirmative-action mechanisms. The 9.6 percent figure, he argued, should prompt a critical reflection on the inclusiveness of Nigeria's democracy, ensuring that elections provide meaningful opportunities for every segment of society to participate, compete, and be represented.