During his time as the governor of Lagos State, President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet had limited female representation. For instance, in his first tenure, only three out of 24 commissioner appointments were women, constituting 12.5 per cent of the entire cabinet. Mr Tinubu’s stance on inclusion, as reflected in his actions as president, is, therefore, not surprising. He simply appears to have continued with his trend when he became president, 24 years after his election as governor.
However, there has been a generational shift and louder calls for gender balance in Nigerian politics. Mr Tinubu’s declaration in his inaugural speech also buoyed expectations that he had become more gender conscious. He promised to “prominently” feature women at all levels, reiterating a campaign promise.
Cabinet composition
In his manifesto document titled: “Renewed Hope 2023- Action Plan for a Better Nigeria,’’ Mr Tinubu promised women 35 per cent of positions in his government.
He even proposed legislation mandating such quotas, urging public and private institutions alike to adopt similar measures.
“Equity and fairness for women will be a top priority of the Tinubu government. Working with the National Assembly, we will aim to pass legislation promoting female employment in all government offices, ministries and agencies. The goal will be to increase women’s participation in government to at least 35 per cent of all governmental positions,” the manifesto reads.
“The legislation shall also mandate the federal executive (particularly the cabinet and core senior advisers) to reserve a minimum number of senior positions for women. Private institutions shall be strongly encouraged to do likewise.”
But two years on, that legislation remains an unfulfilled promise. Moreover, only eight of his 48 ministers are women—a mere 17 per cent. Although this is a slight improvement from former President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments, it falls short of the targeted 35 per cent affirmative action and the National Gender Policy.
Though some of Mr Tinubu’s appointments, like those of the suspended Betta Edu and Finance Minister Doris Uzoka-Anite, highlight a tilt toward young, technocratic women, the broader gender inclusion agenda remains undefined.
Beyond the cabinet
The administration has also yet to issue a strong executive directive to drive inclusion. So far, the National Gender Policy, revised and adopted under President Buhari, which sought to create a gender-responsive framework within both public and private sectors, remains largely unimplemented.
The policy aligns with international laws, which Nigeria is a signatory to, and the Nigerian constitution, which guarantees gender parity.
Despite persistent advocacy for gender balance, Mr Tinubu’s appointments to leadership positions across most spheres of governance remain overwhelmingly male-dominated.
For instance, the president recently appointed an 11-member board for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). The board includes only one woman, who is an institutional representative rather than an independent appointee, sparking concerns about gender representation in leadership roles within the oil sector.
Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is a major driver of the economy and the country’s largest foreign exchange earner.
Meanwhile, the office of the First Lady, overseen by Oluremi Tinubu, has sought to revive interest in women-focused initiatives and social welfare. However, it cannot do much because it lacks constitutional authority and budgetary autonomy.
Even in key MDAs and parastatals, women’s appointments remain uneven.
Legislative Engagement
Mr Tinubu has been silent on the fate of the five gender bills rejected by the National Assembly in 2022 during the Muhammadu Buhari administration. The bills sought to ensure affirmative action for women in political parties, special legislative seats for women, citizenship for foreign spouses of Nigerian women, affirmative action for women in ministerial appointments and a bill on indigenship— married women should have a choice on state of origin.
Even though some APC leaders, like House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, have pledged to ensure some of the gender bills are brought back to parliament and passed, President Tinubu has neither championed their reintroduction nor advanced any new gender-focused legislative agenda.
Way forward
With women nearly 50 per cent (47.5 per cent) of the 2023 voting population, their marginalisation in governance is both politically unwise and ethically troubling.
As Mr Tinubu eyes a potential second term, women’s groups and civil society organisations have an opportunity to demand more than symbolic appointments. If he continues to falter on his gender inclusivity promises, a more visionary opposition could seize the chance to advocate for genuine gender equity.
The president’s current approach to women’s inclusion is not transformative. However, his legacy should not rest solely on the number of female faces in his cabinet and other appointments but on whether his administration systematically breaks the barriers holding women back and creates lasting, inclusive policies.
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