Women at the Frontline: Tinubu’s Slow but Steady March Toward Gender-inclusive Governance
By Nafisat Bello
Nigeria continues to face persistent challenges in achieving gender balance within its political and governance structures. Despite being Africa’s largest democracy, the country still trails behind global and regional averages in women’s representation in both elective and appointive positions. Yet, within this landscape, subtle but important shifts are emerging under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
From ministerial appointments to the recently announced list of ambassadors, Tinubu’s government has taken steps toward bridging Nigeria’s wide gender gap.
Nigeria’s Gender Gap: A Persistent Governance Challenge
The National Gender Policy (NGP) recommends that women hold at least 35% of elective and appointive positions, a benchmark designed to accelerate inclusion and promote gender equity. However, Nigeria remains far from achieving this goal.
• National average of women’s political participation: 6.7%
• Global average: 22.5%
• Africa regional average: 23.4%
• West African sub-regional average: 15%.
These numbers reflect deep-rooted societal norms and long-standing disparities that date back to pre-and post-colonial eras. Patriarchal structures, limited access to resources, political violence, and restrictive cultural expectations have all contributed to the marginalisation of women in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Democratic governance restored in 1999 did offer women new opportunities for participation. But progress has remained slow and uneven, demanding more deliberate interventions.
Tinubu’s Appointments: A Mixed Bag of Progress
President Tinubu has demonstrated an awareness of the need to improve women’s representation in governance. One of his early steps was the appointment of eight female ministers. A modest rise compared to the previous administration. Here are the list of the ministers appointed:
Female Ministers in Tinubu’s Cabinet
1. Doris Uzoka-Anite – Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, now Minister of State for Finance
2. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye – Minister of Women Affairs
3. Nkiruka Onyejeocha – Minister of State, Labour and Employment
4. Betta Edu – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation who has now been dropped ongoing probe
5. Hannatu Musawa – Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy
6. Mahmoud Mariya – Minister of State, FCT
7. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim – Minister of State, Police Affairs
8. Lola Ade-John – Minister of Tourism who has now been removed
These eight ministers account for 17.78% of total ministerial appointments, an improvement, yet still a far cry from the 35% benchmark.
New Ambassadorial Appointments: Progress, But Still Limited for Women
Beyond ministerial portfolios, President Tinubu on November 29, 2025, forwarded a fresh batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. Among them were 4 women nominated as career ambassadors and 6 women nominated as non-career ambassadors. While this list reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic engagement, it also highlights a recurring pattern: women remain significantly underrepresented.
A few days later, the total number of ambassador-designates rose to 65, comprising 34 career ambassadors / high commissioners and 31 non-career ambassadors / high commissioners.
Here are the ten women included in the ambassadorial list:
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1. Maimuna Ibrahim — Career Ambassador-designate (Adamawa State)
2. Monica Okochukwu Enpeji — Career Ambassador-designate (Anambra State)
3. Clark Alexandra — Career Ambassador-designate (Delta State)
4. Adeola Mopelola — Career Ambassador-designate (Ogun State)
5. Grace Bent — Non-Career Ambassador-designate (Adamawa State)
6. Ita Enang — Non-Career Ambassador-designate (Akwa-Ibom State)
7. Chioma Ohakim — Non-Career Ambassador-designate (Imo State)
8. Erelu Angela Adebayo — Non-Career Ambassador-nominee (Ekiti State)
9. Lola Akande — Non-Career Ambassador-nominee (Oyo State)
10. Ajimobi Fatima Florence — Non-Career Ambassador-nominee (Oyo State)
With the 4 women among the 34 career-ambassador slots, women make up about 12% of that group. Adding the 6 women among the 31 non-career nominees, the overall share of women among the 65-plus nominees hovers around 15–20%, a painful underrepresentation relative to the 35% target set by the National Gender Policy (NGP).
These ambassadorial roles are critical for shaping Nigeria’s image abroad, influencing foreign policy, and strengthening international relations. The limited inclusion of women in this category signals a missed opportunity to advance gender equity at a global representational level.
Women in ambassadorial positions have historically demonstrated exceptional competence, often becoming strong voices for Nigeria on international platforms. Their underrepresentation therefore reflects not a lack of capability, but a systemic imbalance that still needs urgent correction.
Historical Context: Why Gender Gaps Persist
Women’s political underrepresentation in Nigeria is deeply rooted in:
• Patriarchal norms that assign women domestic roles
• Religious and cultural restrictions
• Low access to funding, education, and political networks
• Stigmatisation and political violence
• Rigid political party structures that favour male dominance
These barriers have continued to shape participation, despite Nigeria’s adoption of global and regional commitments to gender equality.
Institutional Efforts Supporting Women’s Participation
Several initiatives have been established to support women in governance:
• Women Political Empowerment Office
• Nigeria Women Trust Fund
• Women Lobby Groups
• INEC Gender Policy
• Nigeria Women Strategy Conference
• Collaborative efforts by NCWD and NBS for data-driven advocacy
• New proposed law on gender representation in National Assembly
These interventions aim to strengthen women’s capacities, provide support networks, build political visibility, and push for structural reforms such as affirmative action.
Last Note:
Incremental Change, But the Journey Continues
President Tinubu’s administration has made noticeable progress through the inclusion of eight female ministers and a handful of female ambassadors among the more than 60 appointees. These women bring competence, diversity, and fresh perspectives to national governance and diplomacy.
However, the numbers remain far below the 35% target set by the National Gender Policy. To truly achieve gender equity, Nigeria must accelerate its efforts, expand opportunities, and ensure that women are not just included but represented at levels that reflect their population, capacity, and contributions to nation-building.
With sustained commitment, Nigeria can gradually close its gender gap and pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable governance system.
