Women make up just 10.1 % of the 4,408 candidates contesting seats in Nigeria’s National Assembly for the 2027 general election, according to a joint statement by the Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and Civil Society Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).
The figures, drawn from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final candidate lists, show 443 women vying for 360 seats in the House of Representatives and 115 women for 109 Senate seats. Men account for the remaining 3,965 candidates, or almost 90 % of the field.
While the absolute number of female candidates has risen since 2023—when 380 women ran for National Assembly seats (92 for the Senate and 288 for the House)—the proportion remains low. “These figures demonstrate that the challenge is not a lack of qualified women willing to serve, but persistent structural barriers within the political system,” said GSAI Executive Director Adaora Onyechere Sydney‑Jack at a press briefing in Abuja.
Geographically, no female senatorial candidates are registered in Jigawa, Nasarawa, Niger or Yobe, whereas Akwa Ibom leads with 10 women contesting its senatorial seats. In the House, Lagos has the highest number of female candidates (31), followed by Imo (21) and Anambra and Rivers (20 each).
“Reserved seats are not a replacement for competitive elections. They are an inclusion mechanism designed to address historical barriers and ensure that women’s voices, experiences, and leadership perspectives are represented within Nigeria’s legislative institutions,” Sydney‑Jack added.
She linked the low representation to the high cost of politics, limited access to financing, nomination fees, campaign expenses, mobilisation costs and women’s comparatively weaker access to established political networks. The organisations called on political parties and media outlets to provide more equitable coverage of female candidates ahead of the polls.
“The outcomes of successive elections and party primaries reinforce the need to consider special measures, including reserved seats for women, as part of broader electoral reforms,” Sydney‑Jack concluded, underscoring that such measures would complement, rather than replace, competitive elections.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
