INEC Demands Concrete Steps to Boost Women’s Political Representation Ahead of 2027
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has challenged political parties to translate their repeated expressions of support for women’s political participation into measurable actions ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The Commission made the call during a strategic engagement with political parties, female candidates, civil society organisations, development partners and the media in Abuja.
Representing the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, at the engagement, National Commissioner Prof. Rhoda Gumus said Nigeria’s democracy could not fully realise its representative potential if women were mobilised as voters but denied meaningful opportunities to emerge as political leaders.
She stressed that the issue went beyond the participation of women in a single electoral cycle, describing it as a matter connected to the inclusiveness, character and long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s democracy.
According to her, women constituted almost half of Nigeria’s registered electorate in the 2023 General Election, with 44,414,846 women representing 47.52 per cent of the 93,469,008 registered voters.
The trend, she added, has continued in the ongoing registration exercise for the 2027 elections.
Gumus disclosed that out of 3,867,997 Nigerians who completed registration in the third phase of the exercise as of July 26, 2026, women accounted for 2,037,589, representing 52.68 per cent, while men accounted for 1,830,408.
Despite their strong presence among voters, she noted that women remained significantly underrepresented among candidates and elected office holders.
Citing the 2023 elections, she said only 1,556 of the 15,331 candidates for major elective positions were women, representing 10.15 per cent.
The disparity was even more pronounced among elected lawmakers, with women securing only three Senate seats and 16 seats in the House of Representatives, representing 2.8 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively.
INEC therefore urged political parties to critically examine the structures and processes through which women seek elective positions.
The Commission identified access to party leadership and structures, campaign platforms, media exposure, fundraising networks, mentoring, political communication, logistics, security and grassroots mobilisation as areas requiring practical support.
Gumus emphasised that women’s political participation should not be treated as a concession, but as a fundamental requirement for a representative democracy.
The Secretary to the Commission, Dr. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, in a welcome address delivered on her behalf by the Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department, Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, similarly called for collective action by stakeholders.
She pointed out that political parties have a particularly important responsibility because their internal structures, policies and practices largely determine who gets opportunities to contest elections and ultimately emerge victorious.
The engagement was designed to secure specific commitments from political parties, improve women’s access to campaign resources, enhance the visibility of female candidates and strengthen protection against political violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination.
Other objectives included creating a more supportive political environment for women, sustaining support for female political participation beyond the 2027 elections, and strengthening monitoring, collaboration and accountability among stakeholders.
Presenting the objectives, the Deputy Director, Gender Relations, Mrs. Hembadoon Akaayar, said INEC was seeking more than general assurances from political parties.
She said the Commission expected participating parties to make commitments that were practical, measurable and capable of being monitored.
In his keynote address, titled “Strengthening Women’s Political Participation and Representation: Opportunities, Challenges and Strategies for Political Parties Towards the 2027 General Elections,” Oluwole Osaze-Uzi, Esq., a former Director of Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Societies Liaison at INEC and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, described Nigeria’s record on women’s representation as poor when compared with several other African countries.
He noted that although women constitute about half of the population and electorate, their representation in the National Assembly remains around five per cent, while no woman has yet been elected President or Governor.
Osaze-Uzi cited Rwanda, Senegal, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Cape Verde as examples of African countries that have adopted different approaches to improving women’s representation.
He said 41 of Africa’s 54 countries now operate some form of gender quota.
He identified legal, cultural, security and financial constraints, alongside weak political commitment, as major obstacles confronting Nigerian women seeking elective office.
Among the measures proposed were stronger legal provisions, enforcement mechanisms within political parties, dedicated campaign financing for women, mentorship programmes and a zero-tolerance approach to intimidation, threats and sexual harassment.
INEC subsequently urged political parties to use the engagement to make clear and measurable commitments that would give women a fairer opportunity to contest and win elections in 2027.
The Commission maintained that the significant number of women among registered voters and new registrants should be matched by greater opportunities for women to participate in political leadership.
