By Palma Ileye
Women leaders, politicians and civil society advocates have expressed concern over the declining level of women’s political representation, calling for urgent measures to boost women’s visibility and leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call was made on Wednesday at a roundtable on: “From Participation to Leadership: Advancing Women’s Visibility, Influence and Political Representation in Nigeria,” organised by the 100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG) in collaboration with Change Managers International at the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of 100WLG and President of Change Managers International, Dr. Felicia Onibon, warned that women’s representation in the 2027 elections could fall below the level recorded in 2023 if deliberate interventions were not implemented to address the challenges confronting female politicians.
Onibon said many women, particularly after Party Primaries, lacked the confidence, support and political backing needed to contest elective positions successfully.
According to her, the roundtable was designed to provide a platform for women political leaders from different parties to discuss their challenges, strengthen their confidence and develop practical solutions to improve women’s participation and leadership.
“We realised that many women in political parties do not have adequate support and some are even afraid to engage with party leaders. We want to build their confidence and help them become more visible and influential within their parties,” she said.
She added that the organisation would continue to monitor participants after the meeting to ensure the discussions translate into concrete actions within their political parties.
She also spoke on the proposed Electoral College model aimed at improving women’s representation in elective offices, explaining that the proposal followed years of advocacy for special legislative seats for women.
While acknowledging concerns that an electoral college could still be dominated by men, she described it as a possible starting point for expanding women’s representation.
“If the system is adopted, we will continue to engage and prepare the women who emerge to ensure they effectively represent women’s interests,” she said.
In her opening remarks, former Minister of Women Affairs and Elder Stateswoman, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, urged women not to wait for political parties to hand them leadership positions, stressing that they must actively lobby and position themselves for greater political relevance.
According to her, political parties would not voluntarily create opportunities for women unless women deliberately demanded and worked for their rightful place in the political space.
“If you think your party is going to do it for you, they will not do it. You have to lobby for your space in the political scene,” she said.
Anenih encouraged women leaders to remain connected to grassroots women, noting that building strong relationships with women at all levels was essential for creating lasting political impact.
She also advised women to make themselves visible and relevant within their political parties through consistent participation and engagement.
The former Minister said resilience remained one of the most important qualities women needed to succeed in politics, urging them to collaborate with civil society organisations, build strategic networks and leverage partnerships to strengthen their influence.
She further called on women leaders to overcome feelings of inferiority, attend party meetings regularly and contribute actively to party activities.
