Nigeria ranks nearly on par with Germany in societal readiness to accept women in leadership roles, according to the 2025–2026 Reykjavík Index for Leadership, scoring 59 compared to Germany's 60. The index, which assesses perceptions of gender equality across 23 sectors in 23 countries, reveals that 90% of Nigerians believe women can lead companies and 77% support a female president. The data shows a narrowing gender perception gap, dropping from 8 points in 2024 to 5 points in 2025, driven by shifting attitudes among men. Family and upbringing are cited as the primary influence on these views, shaping 30% of perceptions, ahead of formal education at 18%. Despite this progress, institutional representation lags significantly—women hold only 4.2% of seats in Nigeria's House of Parliament, far below the Sub-Saharan African average of 27%. While public sentiment aligns with advanced economies, political and structural inclusion has not followed.
The banking and finance sector leads in perception, scoring 73 on the index, supported by the presence of nine female bank CEOs and an increase in female board representation from 21% in 2020 to 31.1% in 2024. In contrast, engineering scores 46 and childcare 33, highlighting entrenched gender biases in certain fields. The low score in childcare reflects its perception as informal, domestic work rather than a professional economic sector. Nigeria could gain an estimated $111 billion annually and create 17 million jobs by 2030 through formal investment in childcare infrastructure, mirroring policies in higher-scoring G7 nations like Canada and France, both with index scores of 71. The federal government is urged to adopt proven private-sector models to expand female representation in regulated industries.
When Nigeria scores 59 on the Reykjavík Index and Germany 60, it exposes a paradox: the country's people are ready for women leaders, but its institutions are not. The fact that banking has achieved a 73 score with 31.1% female board representation proves bias can be dismantled with intent—yet Parliament remains stuck at 4.2%. This isn't a lack of will among citizens; it's a power retention strategy by political elites who ignore public consensus. Until quotas, transparency, and accountability are enforced, Nigeria's gender progress will remain confined to surveys, not seats of power.
