Background 

Despite decades of advocacy, women’s political participation in Nigeria remains abysmally low. Out of nearly 3,000 women who contested in the 2019 elections, only 63 were elected across the country. Nigeria still ranks among the lowest in Africa for female political representation, with barriers such as cultural bias, lack of mentorship, limited access to campaign finance, and entrenched patriarchal politics excluding women from meaningful decision-making.

About the Project

With Phase I laying the foundation, Phase II moved beyond research to action. Implemented by PWAN with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), this phase focused on building communities of women who are more conscious, participatory, and ready to lead. It was designed to build a new wave of women who are politically conscious, active, and represented at all levels of governance.

Project Objectives:

• Assess the degree of women’s participation after the 2019 elections
• Improve women’s participation at state and local government levels
• Prioritize and enhance the voice of young women through mentorship and leadership programs

What We Did

1. Scorecard Monitoring: Assessed women’s participation in Ebonyi, Gombe, Ogun, and Taraba states, producing infographics and policy briefs shared widely on radio, WhatsApp, and social media.

2. Town Hall Awareness: Organized meetings in Gombe, Ogun, Taraba, Rivers, and Abuja to sensitize citizens on the importance of women’s representation.

3. Leadership & Mentorship Bootcamp: Trained 15 young women from across Nigeria on politics, governance, law-making, leadership, and media management.

4. Thematic Convening: Brought together 44 stakeholders (INEC, CSOs, women politicians, academia, media) in Abuja to set the agenda for the 2023 elections and beyond.

5. Media & Outreach: Aired radio jingles, produced newsletters, and distributed IEC materials to amplify the project’s message.

Key Outcomes (in Numbers)

• 421 citizens directly sensitized at town halls (Gombe – 39, Rivers – 104, Ogun – 170, Abuja – 108).

• Radio jingles reached over 1.6 million citizens, including:

  • 935,801 people via Anambra State Broadcasting Service.

  • 310,983 via Vision FM (Sokoto & Gombe).

  • 202,567 via Wazobia FM, Port Harcourt.

  • 196,861 via Paramount FM, Abeokuta.

• Over 1,000 IEC materials distributed across Kano, Borno, and Lagos States.

• 10,424 online impressions generated through project tweets, with 120 likes and 146 retweets.

• 198 women appointed across 32 states and the FCT (7 Ministers, 94 Commissioners, 97 Advisers).

• 68 women elected nationwide (4 Deputy Governors, 7 Senators, 12 Reps, 40 State Assembly members).

• Coalition of Women Societies formed in Ogun State, successfully lobbying for an increase in female commissioners from 2 to 4.

• Mentorship pipeline created, with young women stepping down training in their states and starting NGOs, political mobilization, and advocacy.

Impact

The project created measurable changes:

• Mindset shift at grassroots: More women are now willing to contest for local government seats rather than only aspiring for federal positions.

• Policy influence: Contributions to debates on the Electoral Act (Amendment), Gender & Equal Opportunities Bill, and constitutional reform.

• Youth empowerment: The mentorship bootcamp built a successor generation of female leaders preparing to contest in future elections.

• National recognition: PWAN’s mapping report was cited on Channels TV’s “The Verdict” during the 2019 elections, showing the project’s influence at the highest level.

Testimonials

• “The mentorship training was an eye opener. It motivated me to mobilize other women and step down what I learnt in Sokoto. I have since organized dialogues and International Women’s Day programs.” – Hafsat Dange (Bootcamp participant)

• “I initiated a nonprofit to prepare women for leadership after the PWAN mentorship program. It gave me the courage to start.” – Jewel Tok Pam (Bootcamp participant)

• “Our coalition in Ogun State was able to influence the Governor to appoint more women into cabinet – a victory for all of us.” – Coalition of Women Societies in Ogun State

• “The mentorship program and the thematic session were most desirable. We must continue to hammer on the problem until affirmative action is achieved.” – Hon. Blessing Nwagba (Former State Parliamentarian)

Conclusion

The NED Phase II project went beyond rhetoric to results—shaping narratives, building alliances, and equipping women to take their rightful place in governance. By combining research, grassroots mobilization, mentorship, and advocacy, PWAN has laid the foundation for greater gender equality in Nigeria’s political space.