Women's Representation in Leadership: Stakeholders Call for Inclusion
Increased representation of women in Nigeria's leadership and decision-making spaces is a pressing need, say experts. This call was made during a recent event in Abuja, where the Strategic Action for Leadership Trust Initiative (SALTi) collaborated with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Zone D. The gathering, themed "Why Nigeria Needs More Women at the Table," highlighted the country's dismal record on women's inclusion. According to Dr. ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, Regional Director for West Africa at the Ford Foundation, women occupy less than five per cent of parliamentary seats, despite making up about half of the population. Excluding women from leadership spaces, she said, comes at a significant cost to national development.
The exclusion of women from leadership spaces, Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye noted, results in a loss of human capacity for society. She stressed that the demand for inclusion is not about replacing men with women, but about achieving balance in leadership. Leadership outcomes improve, she argued, when merit and inclusion are prioritised. Nigeria's low female representation in governance remains a major concern, with women holding less than five per cent of parliamentary seats.
Nigeria's parliament remains a male-dominated space, with women holding less than five per cent of seats. This glaring disparity is a reflection of the country's broader societal issues. The call for increased women's inclusion in leadership is not just a moral imperative, but a necessary step towards addressing national challenges. Dr. ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye's emphasis on the importance of inclusion is a stark reminder that Nigeria's development is hindered by the exclusion of half its population from decision-making spaces. The country's policymakers must take concrete steps to address this imbalance and ensure that women have a meaningful say in shaping the nation's future.
