Abuja, Nigeria – September 17, 2025
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has renewed its call for greater women’s inclusion in politics, urging reforms that would guarantee stronger representation in party leadership and elective offices.
Speaking during an advocacy visit by the Women’s Collective Forum to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu highlighted progress within the institution itself, noting that women currently head 12 out of 22 INEC departments and play leading roles across states.
Yakubu stressed, however, that broader political inclusion requires constitutional and electoral reforms to institutionalise affirmative action. “The most effective way of ensuring greater representation for women and other marginalised groups in the legislative assemblies is affirmative action supported by clear legal provision,” he said.
The appeal comes on the heels of the UN International Day of Democracy, themed this year “Achieving Gender Equality: From Voice to Action.” INEC has already backed proposals before the National Assembly seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act to embed gender quotas.
While some political parties have responded positively to INEC’s advocacy, Yakubu noted that much more needs to be done. The commission pledged ongoing collaboration with civil society groups to advance women’s participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
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