Leading female voices in policy, finance, and development are raising alarms over Nigeria’s persistent gender leadership gap, citing systemic design flaws, entrenched societal norms and a national neglect of care economics as core barriers sidelining qualified women.
The concerns were raised on Wednesday during a Gatefield-hosted gender equity webinar moderated by Hannatu Asheolge, featuring panellists Blessing Adesiyan, founder of Caring Africa and care economist; Hawa Haliru, CEO of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum; Aisha Ahmad, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and WIMBIZ trustee; and Itunuola Hunga, Communications Lead at WLAN.
Gatefield’s Advocacy Lead, Shirley Ewang, in her opening presentation said data shows Nigerian women are excluded from leadership starting at entry level, despite making up over 50% of the labour force.
Citing McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace and the Reykjavík Index Insights, she said women hold only one in three entry-level roles, and the gap widens over time.
In the financial sector, there’s a 7-point drop from entry to mid-management for women; in health, the drop is steeper.
Only the legal sector shows near-parity, with 47–55% of mid-level roles held by women while for every 10 women promoted, three exit within a year, 45% due to bias or lack of growth, and 38% for better opportunities, she pointed out.
“Whether at the beginning or middle of their careers, Nigerian women are not adequately supported to thrive,” Ewang said.
She also noted that 33% of private firms do not track gender-based promotions and 85% of boards lack accountability mechanisms.
Public attitudes reflect this disparity, she said, noting that while 64% support women in corporate roles, only 50% do in politics.
However, according to her, 68% of younger men (ages 16–34) support women in leadership. “This isn’t just a fairness issue, it’s about unlocking our nation’s full economic and social potential,” Ewang stressed.
Dissecting the issue, Adesiyan argued that the challenge goes beyond access to leadership but is rooted in systemic exclusion.
“The pipeline starts leaking from the beginning. And it’s not just a pipeline issue; it’s a foundational design flaw,” she said.
She emphasized the need to center care in leadership conversations, saying, “This is a care crisis. Until workplaces solve for care, from parental leave to childcare support, women will keep falling off.”
Stressing that Nigeria’s leadership gap begins immediately after school, she said, “Only 33% even enter the workforce, and nearly half of female leaders exit within the first three years”.
She identified caregiving responsibilities as a key structural barrier, urging employers to treat care as economic infrastructure.
“We build roads and bridges to get to work, we also need childcare, parental leave, and workplace flexibility.
“If gender diversity is a priority, then workplaces must prove it by funding care,” she added.
Adesiyan also urged institutions to fund care as a strategic priority, “Let’s stop making women prove twice as much just to be seen. Let’s make the system fair from the start.
“The workplace bias is tied to biology, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and our systems are not designed to support that.
“If gender diversity is a priority, then workplaces must prove it by funding care,” she added
She praised institutions like Standard Chartered Bank, which now offer 20 weeks of paid parental leave regardless of gender or method of childbirth, noting, “This is the way forward, make care a shared responsibility, not just a woman’s issue.
“Women are already leading in our homes and communities. If we want them to lead everywhere else, we must give them the tools and policies that allow them to thrive.”
On her part, Aishah Ahmad, echoed the same sentiment, arguing the problem isn’t a lack of female talent but flawed systems.
“The system isn’t built for them to succeed. The ladders women are expected to climb are missing rungs,” she said.
She called for legal reforms like gender quotas, institutional accountability, and sponsorship over mentorship, stressing, “We need someone to advocate for women when they’re not in the room.”
Hawa Haliru highlighted gender disparities in healthcare leadership, saying “Women dominate Nigeria’s healthcare workforce, but men hold most of the leadership positions”.
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She also noted resistance to six-month maternity leave, calling it a misunderstanding of care as a productivity issue while urging the use of gender-disaggregated data to persuade policymakers.
“We already have the numbers. Now, we need to transform them into targeted policy briefs. Women must be at the helm, not just as deputies,” she added, commending Adamawa State’s policy of mandating female deputy chairpersons.
She also pointed to social norms as hidden barriers, noting, “Political meetings at midnight and overnight forums exclude women with family responsibilities. These aren’t written policies, but they’re real.”
For Itunuola Hunga, the need for change cannot be overemphasized, noting that while 64% of young Nigerians support women in business, only 50% do in politics.
“We need to tell the story of what happens when women lead, the outcomes. Not just the slogans,” she said
She urged current female leaders to become more visible and vocal about their accomplishments, saying, “We need to tell the story of what happens when women lead the outcomes. Not just the slogans. This helps build trust, especially among young women.”