Nigerian and African women leaders have identified under-representation, cultural and structural barriers as major obstacles confronting women in politics.
They made the call yesterday in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, during the HID Awolowo Foundation’s national dialogue themed “Breaking Barriers or Standing Still? Nigerian Women in Politics 30 Years After Beijing,” held to commemorate the 110th posthumous birthday of Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo, the respected businesswoman, politician, and community leader.
The women also championed advocacy for a dedicated women’s policy in Nigeria, describing it as essential for reclaiming and re-imagining a more inclusive and equitable political future.
Chairman of the Foundation, Daisy Danjuma, who addressed participants, said no nation can thrive without women’s involvement in governance and policymaking.
She noted that countries performing strongly often have “at least 50–60 per cent women’s participation in politics.” She, therefore, urged Nigerian women to rise, unite, and support one another in political engagements.
Also speaking, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, in her presentation titled “Power in numbers: The role of women’s movements, civil society organisations and alliance,” encouraged women to move collectively, stressing that “when they move together, they can move mountains.”
Musawa called for collective action, saying such movements achieve results only when everyone plays their role effectively. She noted that women must recommit to the true essence of their numerical strength rather than symbolic gestures or photographs.
Similarly, the Executive Director for Gender, Women & Children in Sustainable Development, Prof. Olabisi Aina, underscored the need for women to engage proactively with the political system. She warned that working solely at the grassroots without pushing for broader political change amounts to futility.
Aina added that Nigeria has numerous policies requiring domestication rather than repeated duplication. Reflecting on progress and ongoing challenges, she urged emerging women leaders to act boldly, prepare thoroughly, and reject self-doubt.
