The Unkept Promise of 35 Percent: Women and Power in Nigeria
By Uche Kalu
Nigeria lives by many promises. Among the most talked about is the one contained in the 2006 National Gender Policy, which stipulates that women should occupy at least 35 percent of elective and appointive positions in governance. On paper, it was a milestone, a recognition that women, who constitute almost half of our population, deserve a fair share of power.
Nearly two decades later, however, that promise remains largely unfulfilled. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), women hold less than 10 percent of elective and appointive positions in Nigeria. Despite their significant contributions to the economy, education, and community development, Nigerian women remain largely excluded from the governance processes that shape their lives.
In the 10th National Assembly, for instance, only 21 out of 469 members are women, just about 4.2 percent representation.
This is not simply a numbers problem; it is a democratic deficit. Nigeria is not short of capable women, they abound in business, civil society, academia, and grassroots leadership. The real obstacles lie in the political and social structures that continue to shut them out: political parties that sideline female aspirants, electoral systems that reward money and muscle over merit, and a cultural mindset that still views leadership as a man’s birthright.
The 35 percent target was meant to challenge these barriers, but without legal backing or enforcement, it has remained a polite suggestion rather than a national standard.
Patriarchal Culture and Social Norms
Women’s underrepresentation in politics is not just a statistical gap; it reflects deep-rooted patriarchal culture and institutional exclusion. From childhood, boys are encouraged to be bold and ambitious, while girls are taught modesty and submission. These early social lessons define perceptions of leadership, making politics appear inherently masculine.
Women who dare to contest elections often face skepticism, ridicule, or outright hostility. In some communities, cultural or religious authorities whose endorsements are critical for legitimacy tend to favour male aspirants. Even highly competent women are thus sidelined before they can compete.
This form of cultural gatekeeping continues to silence women’s voices in public decision-making. Despite decades of advocacy for gender inclusion and the government’s 35 percent affirmative action policy, the structures that sustain male dominance remain deeply entrenched.
Political Party Structures and Funding
Beyond cultural barriers, political party structures and financing systems further entrench exclusion. Political parties are the primary gateway to elective office, yet they remain male-dominated and opaque in their internal operations.
Party nominations often hinge on “loyalty” and “winnability” terms that conveniently favour men who possess the financial resources and political networks required to navigate the process. The high cost of nomination forms, campaign logistics, and delegate mobilization has priced out many capable women.Without equitable access to political finance, media visibility, or institutional support, female aspirants are often eliminated before the race begins.
Lack of Data, Accountability, and Transparency
Another overlooked challenge is the absence of reliable data to track women’s participation across political parties and levels of government. The NBS has highlighted Nigeria’s weak monitoring systems, which make it difficult to evaluate compliance with gender policies or measure progress toward inclusion.Without transparent and consistent data, accountability remains elusive and promises like the 35 percent target become easy to ignore.
Governance Without Women: The Hidden Costs
The exclusion of women from governance is not just a moral failure, it has tangible consequences for policy and development.
When one gender dominates decision-making spaces, national priorities inevitably reflect a narrow worldview. In Nigeria, this has meant repeated underinvestment in issues that disproportionately affect women and children, maternal health, childcare, gender-based violence, and economic empowerment.
Countries with higher female representation in government tend to allocate more resources to health, education, and social welfare, sectors that directly improve quality of life. Nigeria’s lingering gaps in maternal and child health outcomes, low girls’ enrolment rates in some regions, and inadequate response to sexual violence are all symptoms of a governance system missing half its perspective.
At the local level, where decisions on markets, community development, and rural healthcare are made, the scarcity of female leadership means that grassroots priorities are often poorly addressed. Women remain the backbone of informal economies, yet few have the power to influence how local budgets support their enterprises.
The 74-Seat Push: New Hope, Old Resistance
In the midst of these frustrations, a bold new idea has emerged- the proposal for reserved legislative seats for women.
The bill was first introduced during the 9th National Assembly but failed to scale through during voting in March 2022. However, in July 2024, the House of Representatives of the 10th Assembly passed its second reading of a bill seeking to create 74 special seats for women in the National Assembly: one senatorial seat and one House of Representatives seat in each of the 36 states, plus one for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
At the state level, the proposal includes three reserved seats for women in every State House of Assembly.
If passed and implemented, this legislation could be transformative, a structural fix rather than a symbolic gesture. Unlike the 35 percent policy, it sets aside real spaces in which women can compete and serve, recognizing that the current playing field is not level.
Advocacy groups such as the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV), the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) have intensified campaigns for its speedy passage. They argue that the 74-seat provision would not only advance gender equity but also deepen democracy and enhance the quality of national decision-making.
If enacted in time, it could reshape the 2027 general elections and bring Nigeria closer to the inclusive democracy envisioned nearly twenty years ago.
Why Representation Matters
Representation is not just about fairness, it is about effective governance.
Research by UN Women and other global bodies consistently shows that when more women are in parliament, governments tend to produce laws that are more inclusive, humane, and forward-looking, addressing issues from education and healthcare to environmental protection and social justice.
Nigeria’s own history bears witness to this truth. The likes of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the late Professor Dora Akunyili, Oby Ezekwesili have demonstrated that women in leadership deliver competence, integrity, and reform-driven governance.
Moreover, representation has a multiplier effect. When young girls see women in power, it broadens their imagination of what’s possible. Conversely, when politics remains an all-male stage, it silently teaches the next generation that leadership is not for women, a message that perpetuates inequality.
Conclusion: From Promises to Power
The unkept promise of 35 percent representation stands as a reminder of Nigeria’s unfinished journey toward gender justice. Policy declarations without political will achieve little. What Nigerian women need now is not another promise, but political action, laws that enforce inclusion, parties that open their doors, and a society that values leadership beyond gender.
The push for 74 reserved seats offers a chance to reset the national conversation to move from symbolic gestures to structural solutions. It challenges the idea that equality can wait for goodwill, insisting instead that justice must be designed into the system.
Empowering women is not charity; it is strategy. It strengthens democracy, enriches governance, and ensures that the Nigerian story is told and shaped by all its people.
Until women occupy their rightful place at the decision-making table, Nigeria’s democracy will remain incomplete, and its promise like the 35 percent policy unfulfilled.