Key developments in women’s rights and equality in Nigeria (May 2025 Edition)

President Tinubu’s gender inclusion promises, including 35 per cent female representation, remain largely unfulfilled, with women only making up 17 per cent of his ministers. PREMIUM TIMES highlighted gender matters in May through stories on women in STEAM, increasing male attendance at antenatal sessions, a partnership with WCCIMA to empower women entrepreneurs, maternal health risks due to aid cuts and collaborations with WIMBIZ featuring interviews with leading women advocating for gender equity.

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Here’s a summary of key gender-related events in Nigeria in May 2025

Tinubu mid-term review

When President Bola Tinubu was inaugurated, he promised to include women in governance significantly. Mr Tinubu even proposed legislation mandating 35 per cent female inclusion, urging public and private institutions alike to adopt similar measures.

But two years on, that legislation remains an unfulfilled promise. Moreover, only eight of his 48 ministers are women—a mere 17 per cent

Also, Mr Tinubu has been silent on the fate of the five gender bills rejected by the National Assembly in 2022 during the Muhammadu Buhari administration. The bills sought to ensure affirmative action for women in political parties, special legislative seats for women, citizenship for foreign spouses of Nigerian women (as already applies to men), affirmative action for women in ministerial appointments and a bill on indigenship— married women should have a choice on state of origin.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Tinubu’s administration has yet to issue a clear executive directive to advance gender inclusion.

Women in STEAM

Grace Shaibu, a brand clarity expert and Kachi Maduagwu, an engineer and social media manager, were featured on PREMIUM TIMES’ Women in STEAM episodes in May.

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Ms Shaibu, a brand clarity expert who runs Onozasi’s Place, a blog where real-life experiences and fictional stories are shared, discussed how women can cultivate online presence and showcase their expertise using social media and other digital platforms.

She also spoke about pivoting into the tech industry as a researcher.

Ms Maduagwu spoke about how inequalities persist in workplaces. She shared her experience of a workplace that made provision for a condom dispenser but none for menstrual pads. She also shared her journey into social media management and why she chose the path.

Maternal health at risk due to aid cuts

Significant reductions in international aid have jeopardised maternal healthcare services in northeast Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by Boko Haram insurgency. Clinics providing essential services like antenatal care and family planning are facing closures, threatening the health of countless women and children.

Flexible jobs help Nigerian dads attend antenatal

In Nigeria, antenatal sessions are regarded as a “female domain.’ But a quiet shift is happening. A growing number of Nigerian men are challenging the long-standing norm that positions pregnancy as a woman’s journey.

Some men are defying the longstanding norm that pregnancy is a woman’s journey.

For instance, a hotelier, Obinna Abara, told PREMIUM TIMES that he could attend the sessions because he owned his business and its structure. The business structure allows him the flexibility to attend clinic appointments without negatively impacting his business operations.

Partnership

Also in May, PREMIUM TIMES partnered with the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (WCCIMA) to promote and empower women entrepreneurs across Nigeria.

The agreement will create and implement programmes, initiatives, and campaigns designed to support and promote women entrepreneurs across Nigeria.

Women in Management, Business, and Public Service

In May, PREMIUM TIMES published some interviews conducted in partnership with Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a Nigerian non-profit organisation committed to advancing and empowering women in leadership.

In one of the interviews, Toun Sonaiya, CEO of Women Radio, said the aim is to amplify and empower women in a media landscape that often sidelines them,

Mrs Sonaiya shared how her passion for gender equity led her to create Nigeria’s first women-focused radio station —and why she believes storytelling is a powerful tool.

Also, Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director of FATE Foundation, shared her journey to the top, the power of data-driven advocacy, and why true gender equity requires more than visibility. Mrs Adeyemi said women must redesign systems, not just break barriers.

Olajobi Makinwa spoke about what true leadership is — it is about creating space for others to rise with you and shaping a legacy that empowers many.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Makinwa, the chair of the Advisory Board at the BusinessDay Foundation and Adjunct Professor at Baruch College (City University of New York), reflects on her journey in leadership, the importance of resilience, and why accelerating action on gender equality is more urgent than ever.