Happy International Women’s Day? Nigeria has nothing to celebrate, By Chioma Agwuegbo

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There is nothing to celebrate until the government and society cease paying lip service to women’s rights and take meaningful action to address sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and the political exclusion of women. Until Nigerian women no longer have to fight for basic dignity and respect, there can be no genuine celebration. Women deserve more than empty words; they deserve change. Until that change occurs, there is nothing to celebrate.

Every year, certain international days are commemorated globally to celebrate progress and achievements and restate commitment to issues affecting specific groups, whether climate, children, humanitarian issues, or women. International Women’s Day acknowledges (or should acknowledge) how far nations have come in the fight for equality — at home, in the workplace, and politics.

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But let us ask the women of Nigeria who endure violence daily, from femicide at the hands of their intimate partners to microaggressions, because Nigeria, as it is currently constituted, is not a safe place for women. The tragic reality is that for many Nigerian women, our fight for rights, dignity, security, and the space to simply exist – not even thrive – is a daily one.

In a country where sexual and gender-based violence is pervasive, the International Women’s Day feels like a hollow spectacle, a circus act that is neither entertaining nor coordinated, or a funeral we are forced to attend. Our funeral. Women live in fear, not just in our homes but everywhere: in the streets, in places of worship, in our offices, in schools, and even in supposedly hallowed chambers.

Each one of us has a story to tell: A story of harassment, of violence, of a diminished voice or dismissed complaint, of capitulating to bad behaviour from men because the alternative is to be socially ostracised as troublesome, being made to feel less than a equal human, even in spaces that are meant to be safe. Technology and social media introduce new layers of violence and breeding ground for abusers to target women without consequence or accountability. Women are forced to deal with inappropriate comments, unsolicited advances, and threats of violence for stating opinions, disagreeing with opinions, or just having opinions. Women who are victims of violence continue to be blamed, their stories dismissed, and their abusers walk free.

Much has been written and said about the chaotic and disgraceful handling of the allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, raised by Senator Natashi Akpoti-Uduaghan. The Senate has repeatedly committed blunders and perpetuated apparent illegalities simply because a woman dared to speak out. While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s struggle should inspire us all, the broader issue of systemic and institutionally enabled gender-based violence in Nigeria cannot be ignored.

The perpetrators, meanwhile, continue to thrive, as Nigerian laws remain toothless and largely unenforced, and violence against women and girls is yet to be accorded the urgency and priority it deserves, both in national discourse and actual action. Even with the existence of laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act (CRA), understanding and utility are weak, and justice remains out of reach for most women.

And yet, year after year, we are bamboozled with platitudes by the same government and legislature that refuses to create laws and institutionalise policies that advance and protect women and girls. We are told that we have “come so far, we are making progress,” when the reality is that we are regressing at an alarming rate.

This systemic retrogression is even more evident in Nigerian politics, where women’s representation remains appallingly low and, in 2025, has regressed to 1999 percentages, when Nigeria first returned to democracy. Women are either excluded from decision-making or relegated to tokenised, marginalised roles that don’t carry real power. Nigeria, the so-called Giant of Africa, sits at the bottom of the continent with women’s political representation. At 180th out of 185, Nigeria ranks amongst the lowest for women’s parliamentary representation globally. Yearly calls on International Women’s Day for the implementation of 35 per cent affirmative action or the increase of women in political spaces by the ones with the power to institute these laws are a joke and tantamount to an insult to Nigerian women.

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Much has been written and said about the chaotic and disgraceful handling of the allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, raised by Senator Natashi Akpoti-Uduaghan. The Senate has repeatedly committed blunders and perpetuated apparent illegalities simply because a woman dared to speak out. While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s struggle should inspire us all, the broader issue of systemic and institutionally enabled gender-based violence in Nigeria cannot be ignored.

Women’s rights are neither a social nor a charitable issue; they are a fundamental human rights issue that demands justice, equality, and systemic change across all spheres of society. Women’s full, uninhibited participation in public life is essential for economic and societal development, as our full participation in the workforce, education, and leadership contributes directly to the advancement of Nigeria.

So, what is there to celebrate on International Women’s Day in Nigeria? Whether “Accelerating Action” or “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” what is there to celebrate? What does it mean to celebrate when women endure vilification and the emotional and physical toll of harassment and violence just to participate in our country’s politics?

What progress have we genuinely made when legislators are contemplating the repeal and reenactment of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP), which took over eight years to be adopted by all Nigerian states (except Kano)?

Women’s rights are neither a social nor a charitable issue; they are a fundamental human rights issue that demands justice, equality, and systemic change across all spheres of society. Women’s full, uninhibited participation in public life is essential for economic and societal development, as our full participation in the workforce, education, and leadership contributes directly to the advancement of Nigeria. A government at all tiers that doesn’t understand this does not bode well for the nation.

There is nothing to celebrate until the government and society cease paying lip service to women’s rights and take meaningful action to address sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and the political exclusion of women. Until Nigerian women no longer have to fight for basic dignity and respect, there can be no genuine celebration. Women deserve more than empty words; they deserve change. Until that change occurs, there is nothing to celebrate.

Chioma Agwuegbo is the executive director at TechHerNG, an organisation that uses technology and digital tools for the advancement of women and girls. She writes from Abuja.