Despite women comprising nearly half of Nigeria’s population and legal reforms aimed at increasing their participation in politics, young women hold just 6.7% of elected positions and appointments—far below the global average of 22.5%. While the 2018 Age Reduction Law lowered candidacy ages and parties announced fee waivers for women and discounts for youth in 2022, these measures failed to shift representation. A study of Nigeria’s two largest political parties found that while women apply in large numbers, informal party practices remain a barrier. Researchers discovered that aspiring female politicians are often excluded by influential party elders, patronage networks, financial demands, and cultural expectations that favor older male candidates. Although Nigeria’s new Electoral Act 2026 eliminated indirect primaries, a key tool for elite control, critical gaps remain. To fix this and ensure qualified women can compete fairly, researchers recommend enforceable youth and gender quotas alongside tighter regulation of party nomination processes.
The Conversation