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| Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi |
Awarenessinfomedia has gathered that Japan's appointment of its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, marks a significant milestone in a country long criticized for its male-dominated politics.
In contrast, Nigeria continues to lag behind, with women holding just 4.2% of federal legislative seats, one of the lowest rates globally.
According to RISIS International, since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, only 157 women have been elected to the 469-member National Assembly, compared to 2,657 men. Currently, women occupy four of 109 Senate seats and 17 of 360 seats in the House of Representatives.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union reports that Nigeria's overall female participation in elective and appointive positions stands at roughly 6.7%, below African and global averages.
Experts attribute the low representation of women in politics to cultural and religious biases, particularly in northern Nigeria, where leadership is often viewed as a male preserve.
Chris Nwaokobia, convener of the Country First Movement, emphasizes that women must organize more effectively to increase their representation.
Matthew Koffi Okono, founder of Open Forum, notes that candidate selection is often gate-kept by party power brokers, who prefer candidates they can control.
A reserved seat for women bill is currently before the National Assembly, proposing temporary additional seats for women at the federal and state levels. However, analysts argue that quota mechanisms alone will not resolve deeper financing and nomination constraints within party structures.
To address the gender power gap, Nigeria must implement structural reforms, including internal party democracy, transparent primaries, and financing access.
Japan's experience shows that even long-standing male-dominated systems can shift when political incentives align. The question remains whether Nigeria's institutions are willing to implement meaningful reforms.
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