Empowering Nigerian Women Through ‘Give to Gain’ Campaign – By Ayo Oyoze Baje

“No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.”

-Michelle Obama

The celebration of the 2026 International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8 with the theme: “Give to Gain,” has come and gone but certainly not the significant message passed across the globe. With the focus on the power of investing in women through mentorship, resources and opportunities to create a more equitable and resilient society, the emphasis of course, is on supporting women’s advancement. That  is precisely so by strengthening their families, communities, and economies. This indeed should serve as  food-for- thought for policy makers and those who implement them, with a specific interest in the Nigeria narrative.

Breaking it down, to its nuggets, the

key aspects of the 2026 theme include:

Reciprocity and Investment as the campaign encourages individuals and organizations to share knowledge and resources to foster long-term, sustainable progress. Another important factor considered is the 

Global Focus as the United Nations (UN)  anchored the day with the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” This is aimed at dismantling structural barriers to equality.

On the ever needed issue of Empowerment,v the day  celebrated the achievements of women while promoting, gender equality, and women’s rights. This theme encourages a shift towards action-oriented support to ensure women and girls thrive globally, on the basis of gender equality anywhere in the world they live and ply their trades. But the concern here is focused on the Nigerian situation whereby the female gender has over the decades been grappling with gender inequity.

For instance, though  Nigeria’s population remains  roughly evenly split, with a slight male majority, indicating about 49.4%–50.8% female and 49.2%–50.6% as of 2024–2026,male, Nigerian women lag behind men in education, with a 2021 female literacy rate of roughly 69–71% compared to a male rate of approximately 77–78%. While gender gaps in primary school have narrowed, disparities still persist in higher education, with a 2018 ratio of about 0.73 women to every man in tertiary institutions.

And still taking a closer look at the education imbalance,approximately 60% of Nigeria’s out-of-school children are girls, amounting to over 7.6 million to 10 million girls currently not in school. This figure represents a significant portion of the roughly 18.5 million total out-of-school children in the country. The crisis is most severe in the Northeast and Northwest, with over 50% of girls not attending school at the basic education level. That is according to UNICEF 

What follows next is that of employment.

In Q2 2023, the employment-to-population ratio in Nigeria was 74.9% for women and 79.3% for men. While overall participation is relatively close, men hold a higher share of wage-paying jobs (17.2% vs. 9.2% for women), whereas women are more likely to be engaged in informal, precarious, or agricultural work, often constituting over 78% of such roles.

On the field of technology female students represent just 22% of enrolment in engineering/technology programmes. A 2023 report showed thousands of women have been trained in tech bootcamps, yet company hiring still lags  Women in the field of technology is up only 17% of tech professionals in Nigeria. Yet, there is more to do to change the nauseating narrative of women in Nigeria, especially within the political podium.

Considering the gross inequality which persists in the nation’s political sphere, though 

a 2022 Federal High Court ruling ordered the Nigerian government to comply with the National Gender Policy, which mandates a 35% representation for women in all appointed positions the implementation remains low, . In fact, 

Nigerian women are significantly underrepresented in politics, with, on average, only 6.7% in elective and appointive positions. In the 10th National Assembly, women occupy just 3.8% to 6.5% of seats, falling far below the 15% West African average and the 23.4% African regional average. That is according to the 

Key Data on Nigerian Women in Politics (2023-2025. This has led to the ongoing advocacy from groups like the Nigerian Women Trust Fund for enforcement and Nigeria Women Arise for Change Initiative.

So far,  the statistical figures made available on gender inequality, especially in Nigeria on education, employment, and politics are not only startling but scary. Much more needs to be done than said in rewriting the scandalous situation by leaning from some other countries. For instance, Canada, Russia, and South Korea lead globally in the percentage of women with tertiary education, with rates exceeding 60-65% in some age groups. Other top countries for female education include Finland, Israel, and Japan, which also feature high levels of female participation in higher education and workforce schooling

On the political spectrum,as of 

September 2025 few countries have 50 per cent or more women in parliament in single or lower houses:Amongst these are Rwanda              (63.8), Bolivia                  53.1 3 Cuba  ( 48.9 ),Seychelles  (  43.8 ), Sweden  ( 43.6 ) this according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (.iPU ). We need the political will on the part of our leaders to do the needful. It goes beyond rhetoric.And the firm foundation to erect gender equality begins with sound and quality education delivery.

One would therefore, urge Nigeria’s policy makers to borrow a fresh leaf from various companies and foundations in Nigeria, such as Oando Foundation, Pacegate Energy & Resources Limited (PEARL), and Ecobank Nigeria, which are actively supporting Girl – Child education through scholarships, mentorship, and infrastructure improvements. Sone of these include initiatives such as the Oando Scholars Programme, AGILE project, and Pearl’s Girl Child Education Initiative, aiming to boost enrollment and reduce gender gaps, particularly in Northern Nigeria. 

All said, the 2026 International Women’s Day campaign has become a clarion call on us all as individuals,  communities, companies and a country to ‘Give to Gain’ from our women who should not be despised or degraded but embraced as pragmatic partners to build better families, countries and humanity as a whole through gender equity. We need it.

• Baje is a columnist with YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine