Under Nigeria’s current constitution, drafted in 1999, “Every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law.” In 2003, the African Union established the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Maputo Protocol), an international protocol designed to guarantee women their basic human rights and freedoms. Nigeria signed and ratified the Protocol, but due to the country’s deeply rooted patriarchal structure, the government has failed to establish laws that ensure these rights are upheld. In the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment, Nigeria ranked 139th out of 156 countries. Female representation in parliament is a mere three percent and in certain parts of the country, only 25 percent of girls attend school. Fortunately, there are a number of women’s rights organizations stepping up to fight for the rights guaranteed to them under the law. The Nigerian Women Fund is committed to increasing the number of women in governmental positions, the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative is working to increase women’s access to the legal system, and the Women Impacting Nigeria Foundation is dedicated to eliminating gender gaps in the educational, governmental and economic sectors.
Despite social stigmas and traditional gender norms preventing women from participating in sports, female athletes have achieved great success on the world’s stage. The Nigerian national soccer team is the most decorated on the continent, winning 11 of 13 Total Africa Women Cup of Nations championships. They have also competed in every FIFA Women’s World Cup since its establishment and appeared in four Olympic Games. Women from Nigeria first competed in the Olympics in 1964 and the Paralympics in 2000. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, long-jumper Chioma Ajunwa won the country’s first gold medal. She was also a member of the 1991 Women’s World Cup team, making her the only athlete to ever compete individually in the Olympics and the World Cup. Nigeria had a strong showing at their first Paralympic Games in Sydney with eight women medaling including powerlifters, Iyabo Ismaila, Victoria Nneji, Patricia Okafor, bringing home gold in their respective categories.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Nigeria:
Aderonke Bello
Nneka Ikem
Mimisen Iyorhe
Chisom Mbonu-Ezeoke
Oluwaseun Nariwoh
AdaMark Ogbole
Tega Onojaife
How does Nigeria compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
3%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
8%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
No
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1960
The Federation of Nigeria gained full independence from British rule on October 1.
1964
Clarice Ahanotu and Amelia Okoli, athletics athletes, became the first women to represent Nigeria in the Olympics.
1979
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
1984
Nigeria signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
1985
Nigeria ratified CEDAW.
1992
Beatrice Utondu, Faith Idehen, Christy Opara-Thompson, and Mary Onyali, the women’s 4 x100m relay team, won bronze becoming the first women from Nigeria to win an Olympic medal.
2000
Eleven female athletes became the first women to represent Nigeria in the Paralympics. Eight of these eleven athletes won a total of 8 medals in powerlifting and athletics to become the first women from Nigeria to win Paralympic medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze).
2004
Nigeria ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2013
Nigeria signed the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, affirming that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
-
0
-
0
-
7
-
5
-
16
-
16
-
122
-
47
-
35
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
28
-
25
-
1
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
1964
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
2008
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
Beatrice Utondu, Faith Idehen, Christy Opara-Thompson, & Mary Onyali: 1992, 4 x 100m Relay Team (Bronze)
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
2000
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
2004
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
Iyabo Ismaila: 2000, Powerlifting (Gold) Victoria Nneji: 2000, Powerlifting (Gold) Patricia Okafor: 2000, Powerlifting (Gold) Edith Nzuruike: 2000, Athletics (Gold) Lucy Ejike: 2000, Powerlifting (Silver) Patricia Nnaji: 2000, Powerlifting (Bronze) Kike Adejedi Ogunbamowo: 2000, Powerlifting (Bronze) Faith Igbinehin, 2000, Powerlifting (Bronze)
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1991
Pay Gap Comparison
Paid Less than the Men's Team as of 2022
Gender Initiatives
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
For More Information
FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1974
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
The NBA and the Basketball Africa League are working together across Africa to raise awareness about gender-based violence, support girls’ education, and increase female involvement in basketball at all levels.
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
For More Information
NBA + Basketball Africa League Partnership
FIBA Strategic Objectives
LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
Netball Nigeria
Nigeria Baseball and Softball Association
Nigerian Association of Women in Sport
