Women’s Representation Essential for Stronger Nigeria, Stakeholders Say

Women’s groups and stakeholders have called for greater representation of women in Nigeria’s political institutions. They asserted that the country cannot achieve inclusive and sustainable development without fully harnessing the talents, skills and capacities of women in leadership and decision-making.

The call was made at the Women in Business and Politics Summit 2026, held in Abuja yesterday.
The event attracted women entrepreneurs, public officials, diplomats, professionals and other stakeholders who celebrated women’s achievements and discuss strategies for expanding their participation in business, governance and national development.

At the summit, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, represented by the director of Public Affairs Department, Nwanyinma Okeanu, said women in leadership must not only occupy positions of authority but also exercise them with courage, competence, accountability and integrity.

“We need women who will not only enter institutions but help reform them; women who will insist on transparency and accountability and understand that leadership is an instrument of service, not private enrichment,” she said.

Okeanu added that ethical conduct was essential to sustainable business growth, stressing that transparent organisations were more likely to attract investors, earn public trust and achieve long-term success.

Also speaking, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by the Chief State Counsel, SGBV Unit, Olubunmi Uluba, said Nigerian women had consistently demonstrated competence in business, public service, entrepreneurship and community leadership but remained underrepresented in elective and appointive positions.

She noted that women constitute about half of Nigeria’s population, yet their representation in the National Assembly remained disproportionately low.

“The challenge is not a lack of capable Nigerian women. We encounter them every day. The challenge is that our political system has not created sufficiently broad pathways for that capacity to translate into legislative representation,” she said.

Uluba linked economic empowerment to political participation, noting that women with access to capital, technology, education and economic opportunities were better positioned to contribute meaningfully to governance and national development.

She added that women in political leadership could help shape policies that reflected the realities and needs of the people they represented.

Similarly, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, represented by Joy Akut, called for greater political representation for Nigerian women, saying the country’s progress depended on making full use of the talents and capacities of all its citizens.

Kalu said Nigerian women had continued to distinguish themselves as entrepreneurs, professionals, institution builders and community leaders but remained significantly underrepresented in elective and legislative offices.

According to him, women constitute about half of Nigeria’s population, yet only 19 of the 469 members of the National Assembly are women.

“The challenge is not a lack of capable Nigerian women. We encounter them every day, including in rooms such as this. The challenge is that our political system has not created sufficiently broad pathways for that capacity to translate into legislative representation,” he said.

Kalu said greater political inclusion of women would strengthen the country’s democratic institutions and broaden the range of perspectives reflected in lawmaking and public policy.

“The conversation is not about women against men. It is about building a stronger Nigeria by making full use of our human capacity,” he said.

Also speaking, the Vice Consul of the Embassy of the Philippines in Nigeria, Liam Gutierrez, said Nigeria had taken encouraging steps towards widening women’s representation and expressed the Philippines’ willingness to share its experience in advancing gender inclusion.

Gutierrez said the Philippines had developed laws, policies and institutional mechanisms aimed at protecting women’s rights and promoting their participation in society.

“We can share what we have done in our country so that Nigeria can draw lessons from it, while we also learn from Nigeria to improve our own services to women,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Summit Coordinator, Hassie Oyama, said the summit was a celebration of women who were leading, building, inspiring and creating meaningful change across society.

Oyama said the summit also provided a platform for meaningful connections, conversations and opportunities aimed at advancing women’s leadership and participation in various sectors of the economy and society.

In her remarks, AIT broadcaster, Mrs Iloh Nnaji Nancy, urged women to move beyond simply gaining access to positions of influence and instead use their voices confidently to shape conversations and decisions.

She said representation alone was insufficient if women were unable or unwilling to exercise meaningful influence after entering leadership spaces.

“It is not simply about getting women into the room. It is about what happens when we get into the room, whether we use our voices with confidence and whether we shift the conversation,” she said.

“Women should not merely be invited to the table; they must have a meaningful voice in the decisions made at that table,” she said.

She also urged women to mentor, recommend and open doors for younger women, stressing that leadership should ultimately be determined by competence, character, vision and integrity rather than gender.

Meanwhile, Assistant Editor Chief Correspondent, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Patricia Amogu further called for stronger collaboration and support among women, stressing the importance of mentorship and deliberate efforts to create opportunities for younger women to rise into leadership.

She urged successful women to create opportunities for others and recognise that every individual had unique strengths and contributions to make to society.

The summit concluded with the presentation of leadership excellence awards to women recognised for their contributions to nation-building, leadership and social development across Africa.

The event reinforced calls for greater collaboration, mentorship, economic empowerment and political inclusion as key pathways towards increasing women’s participation in governance, business and national development.