In June, the conversation around gender in Nigeria revealed both progress and persistent challenges. While the country continues to grapple with low global rankings in gender equality, there were notable developments — from rising female participation in the workforce to urgent advocacy against femicide.
Stories of leadership, resilience, and innovation also surfaced, painting a complex but hopeful picture of the fight for women’s rights and equality.
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Here’s a look at some of the most important gender stories in June
Global gender parity
The 2025 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, released mid-June, ranked Nigeria 124th out of 148 countries. This indicates a slight decrease in ranking, losing one spot from the previous year.
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The report was introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006 to benchmark progress towards gender parity across four areas — economic opportunities, education, health, and political leadership. Of its overall gender gap, Nigeria had 64.9 per cent.
Economic participation and opportunity
Nigeria has seen improvements, according to the economic parity subindex. The country recorded its highest female participation in the labour force in 2025.
In the report by WEF, Nigeria saw a significant rise in workforce parity, with female participation increasing to 95.6 per cent, up from 89.9 per cent in 2024.
However, setbacks were seen in political empowerment, with low representation at the ministerial level reflecting stagnation in overall parity.
Femicide
So far, 88 women have been killed as a result of their gender from January to June, a report shows. An average of three to four women are killed every week in Nigeria, with the motive behind these killings largely gender-based, an advocacy group, Document Our History (DOHS Cares) revealed.
The organisation urged the government to take immediate measures to address the growing epidemic of femicide in the country.
READ ALSO: Constitution Review: Kaduna governor roots for state police, fiscal federalism, gender equity
Father’s Day
A Consultant Family Physician and Public Health Specialist, Adesida Adewumi, says societal expectations continue to complicate the layered health challenges men face across physical, mental, spiritual, and social dimensions.
According to Mr Adewumi, men between the ages of 20 and 60 are the most affected by these multilayered health issues, which are often intensified by silence around vulnerability and poor health-seeking behaviour.
Learning new skills on YouTube
Damilola Olusegun, 28, a visual artist, in the latest episode of Women in STEAM, delved into her artistic journey and, most significantly, how her late father led her to art and how platforms like YouTube gave her leverage in the art world.
In 2018, Ms Olusegun created a substantial portfolio. She debuted her work through a self-funded art exhibition at her science academy, involving family support and showcasing talents from her institution and others. The success of the event reinforced her path, earning her the title of Best Young Visual Artist in 2019 by The Everyday Chapter.
Women in Management, Business, and Public Service
Dekunbi Wuraola, founder of Women on a Mission, has spent decades championing women’s leadership, equity, and empowerment.
In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Wuraola reflects on her journey from grassroots advocacy to boardroom leadership and the barriers she’s broken.
On her part, Taba Peterside, founder and CEO of Waveline Growth Partners, believes empowering women requires more than access — it demands intentionality, confidence, and strategic action.
She reflects on her decades-long career in financial services, her passion for mentoring women, and why navigating workplace politics with integrity is part of leadership in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.
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