By Emmanuella Opara | October 23rd 2026
KEY POINTS
- Women occupy only 5.6 per cent of seats in Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly, according to gender experts.
- The Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Performance Leaderboard assesses states across six areas of governance.
- Anambra ranked highest in the assessment, followed by Cross River, while Zamfara was among the lower-ranking states.
- The initiative aims to improve accountability and promote inclusive governance ahead of the 2027 elections.
MAIN STORY
Gender experts have raised concerns over the low representation of women in Nigeria’s political institutions, saying women occupy only 5.6 per cent of seats in State Houses of Assembly.
The concern was raised on Friday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Performance Leaderboard, an assessment of how states include women, young people and persons with disabilities in governance.
Dr Priscilla Achakpa, Founder and Global Lead of the Women Environmental Programme (WEP), said the assessment examined six areas: leadership and representation, policy and legal frameworks, accessible infrastructure, budget allocations, access to justice and open governance.
She urged stakeholders to strengthen inclusive governance and women’s participation in politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Achakpa said 108 data collectors had been trained and deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to gather evidence for the assessment. She explained that the exercise drew on official records, interviews, online reviews and physical inspections.
She also said persons with disabilities had almost no representation in State Houses of Assembly, highlighting the need to widen political participation among marginalised groups.
Achakpa identified Lagos as the only state with an anonymous online platform for reporting human rights violations. However, she acknowledged progress in the enactment of laws prohibiting violence and the provision of institutional support for women and young people.
She said the leaderboard was designed to measure state performance, encourage improvements and promote accountability.
The Director of the Department of Climate Change at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, represented by Mrs Cordelia Elebeke, described the assessment as an accountability and advocacy tool for evaluating progress in gender-responsive governance.
She said the initiative could encourage competition among states, facilitate the exchange of good practices and inspire policy reforms to improve citizens’ lives.
Mr John Baaki, Co-Executive Director of WEP, said the assessment covered the representation of women, young people and persons with disabilities in state Houses of Assembly and executive councils.
He said it also examined existing laws supporting women’s political participation, protecting persons with disabilities and promoting youth involvement in politics, alongside access to justice.
According to Baaki, states were scored using an assessment guide that considered representation, accountability mechanisms and measures to promote inclusive governance.
He said Anambra ranked highest in the assessment, followed by Cross River, while Zamfara was among the states with lower rankings.
The Executive Director of Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI), Mrs Aver Akighir, commended the organisers and partners, saying gender equality and social inclusion meant ensuring that women, young people and persons with disabilities had equal opportunities to participate, contribute and thrive.
Similarly, Ms Stella Abah, Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist at Christian Aid, congratulated WEP and its partners on the inauguration of the leaderboard assessment report.
Abah, who represented the organisation, said inclusive governance required meaningful participation by women, young people, persons with disabilities, displaced persons and other marginalised groups, as well as equitable access to development benefits.
THE ISSUES
Women’s low representation in State Houses of Assembly remains a major concern for gender equality in Nigeria’s political system. The assessment also points to gaps in the participation of persons with disabilities and young people in governance.
Beyond political representation, the leaderboard examines whether states have supportive laws, accessible infrastructure, adequate budget allocations, access to justice and transparent governance mechanisms.
The findings are intended to show where states are making progress and where further action is needed to improve inclusion and accountability.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Women occupy only 5.6 per cent of seats in States Houses of Assembly. There is persistent gender inequality in political representation,” Dr Priscilla Achakpa, Founder and Global Lead of the Women Environmental Programme, said.
WHAT’S NEXT
The GESI Performance Leaderboard is expected to encourage state governments to address identified gaps, improve policies and strengthen accountability for inclusive governance. Stakeholders have also called for greater public awareness and sustained efforts to increase women’s participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
BOTTOM LINE
The GESI assessment highlights the limited representation of women in Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly and seeks to encourage state governments to improve political participation and access to governance for women, young people and persons with disabilities.
