Can W’African Women Get Appreciable Political Power By 2035?

Women are believed to be half of the population of West Africa and should normally get half of everything, but the reality is that they do not get half the position at the table where things have been decided. Stakeholders including women in the sub-region recently came together in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja to discuss the issue. Michael Olugbode reports.

There are moments that redefine the trajectory of a region.

For the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the gathering of ministers, parliamentarians, electoral commissioners, development partners and women leaders in Abuja may prove to be one of those moments.

Just days after West African Heads of State adopted the Presidential Declaration on Strengthening the Representation of Women in Political Leadership in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Abuja became the stage for what many hope will be the beginning of a new political era—one where women are no longer spectators in governance but equal participants in shaping the future of the region.

For decades, women have formed the backbone of West Africa’s economies. They dominate cross-border trade, sustain households, build businesses, nurture communities and mediate peace during conflicts. Yet when cabinet decisions are taken, budgets approved, laws enacted and governments formed, their voices remain disproportionately absent.

The Abuja forum was therefore not simply another conference on gender. It was an attempt to answer a question that has confronted West African democracies for generations: How can societies that depend so heavily on women continue to exclude them from political power?

A Historic Opportunity

Opening the forum, ECOWAS Vice President, Damtien L. Tchintchibidja described the meeting as one of those rare moments when a regional organisation has the opportunity to shape history.

She reminded participants that only days earlier, ECOWAS leaders had adopted the Presidential Declaration during the Summit on the Future of Regional Integration in Freetown.

Far from being another diplomatic document, she explained, the declaration was conceived as one of the enduring legacies of ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary—laying the foundation for a future in which leadership across West Africa reflects the talents, experiences and aspirations of all its people.

According to her, the declaration complements the newly adopted Pact for the Future of Regional Integration, both of which are anchored in ECOWAS Vision 2050—a vision of “an ECOWAS of the People” built on peace, prosperity and inclusive governance.

“Our leaders affirmed an important truth,” she told delegates. “The strength of our democracies, the quality of our governance and the future of our development depend on the ability of all citizens, women and men alike, to participate fully in shaping the destiny of our region.”

Numbers Tell a Disturbing Story

Despite years of democratic reforms, women’s representation in West African politics remain among the lowest on the continent.

According to the ECOWAS Commission, women currently occupy only 15.5 per cent of parliamentary seats across the region—far below Africa’s average of 25 per cent and the global average of 26.5 per cent.

Women constitute more than half of the region’s population and contribute significantly to every sector of society, yet remain largely excluded from the institutions where national decisions are made.

The imbalance, Tchintchibidja argued, weakens democracy itself.

Equality Is Also an Economic Strategy

One of the strongest messages emerging from Abuja was that women’s political inclusion is no longer viewed solely through the lens of human rights.

It is increasingly being recognised as an economic necessity.

Quoting international research, the ECOWAS Vice President noted that the International Monetary Fund estimates that closing gender gaps could increase economic output by between 10 and 35 per cent, depending on national circumstances.

Similarly, she said, the World Bank estimates that countries lose about 14 per cent of their human capital wealth when women are unable to participate fully in economic and public life.

Behind those statistics lies a simple reality.

Countries that exclude women from leadership are also excluding ideas, innovation, experience and talent capable of driving development.

For Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, that reality explains why Nigeria chose to host the forum. She argued that gender parity is no longer a matter of emotion or symbolism.

“It is about national development, and it is an economic imperative,” she declared.

From Endless Conversations to Concrete Action

For years, regional meetings have produced declarations that generated headlines but little measurable change.

This time, organisers insist the outcome must be different.

At the centre of the discussions is the proposed Abuja Action Agenda, which seeks to move from commitments to implementation. Its priorities are ambitious. They include accelerating the ECOWAS 2035 Gender Parity Agenda, securing stronger political commitments, creating sustainable financing for female candidates, making politics safer by adopting zero tolerance for violence against women, ensuring young women and those facing multiple forms of exclusion are not left behind, guaranteeing women’s participation during political transitions, strengthening solidarity among female leaders and introducing stronger accountability through monitoring and data.

“We have been talking for so long,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim admitted, capturing the frustration shared by many participants.

Nigeria Looks Inward

Nigeria’s own political record illustrates the challenge. Despite being Africa’s largest democracy, women occupy only a small fraction of elective positions.

The minister acknowledged that achieving meaningful progress would require structural reforms rather than symbolic gestures.

One indication of that shift is the ongoing review of the Special Reserved Seats Bill.

Rather than abandoning the proposal, government is exploring new options—including an electoral college mechanism—that may better suit Nigeria’s complex political environment.

“We are still trying to find what instrument is fit for Nigeria so that we can give our system the necessary shock it requires to admit a lot of women while we continue to compete on a level playing field,” she explained.

Beyond electoral reforms, Nigeria is overhauling leadership academies across its six geopolitical zones, implementing its Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and linking women’s political participation to broader investments in families, governance and national development.

The country will also host an International Family Summit later this year as part of a decade-long investment in strengthening African families.

A Regional Blueprint for Reform

The Presidential Declaration adopted by ECOWAS outlines practical reforms expected from member-states.

Governments are encouraged to strengthen constitutional and legal frameworks that support women’s political participation, while political parties are expected to reform candidate selection processes and internal leadership structures to create genuine opportunities for women.

The declaration also advocates increased investment in leadership development, mentorship, political training and support networks.

Recognising that campaign financing remains one of the greatest obstacles, it urges governments to improve women’s access to financial resources for elections.

It equally calls for sustained efforts to challenge restrictive social norms through education, advocacy and engagement with civil society, academia and the media.

Importantly, the ECOWAS Commission will coordinate implementation through technical assistance, peer learning, exchange of best practices and regular monitoring of member-states’ progress.

Learning from Success Stories

Among the strongest examples presented at the forum was Sierra Leone. Following the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, women now occupy 30 per cent of parliamentary seats. The reforms require political parties to nominate at least one woman among every three candidates while expanding women’s land rights, promoting mentorship, supporting STEM education for girls and encouraging collaboration among female politicians across party lines.

Liberia, meanwhile, focused attention on campaign financing. Its government proposed mandatory party funding for women, lower nomination fees, access to dedicated credit facilities and financial support mechanisms aimed at reducing the enormous cost of contesting elections.

Political Courage Will Decide the Outcome

Perhaps the most powerful intervention came from Côte d’Ivoire’s Senator, Dr. Chantal Moussokoura Fanny. She applauded the declaration but warned against celebrating signatures without implementation.

Ministers responsible for gender affairs, she argued, cannot carry the burden alone. Justice ministries must enact enforceable laws. Finance ministries must allocate adequate resources. Political parties must reform. Governments must demonstrate genuine political will.

She also issued a challenge to established women leaders. Mentorship, she insisted, is not an act of generosity, “It is our responsibility.”

Without preparing younger women for leadership, she warned, today’s victories could become tomorrow’s missed opportunities.

An Enduring Legacy—or Another Missed Opportunity?

As she prepares to conclude her tenure as ECOWAS Vice President, Tchintchibidja expressed hope that the declaration would become one of the defining legacies of the regional bloc at 50.

Reflecting on five decades of integration, she argued that the greatest tribute to ECOWAS’ founding fathers would be to build a Community that truly reflects the aspirations and talents of all its citizens.

“History seldom remembers those who merely recognised the need for change,” she reminded participants. “It remembers those who had the courage to make it happen.”

That may ultimately become the defining question facing West Africa. The commitments have been made.

The declarations have been signed.

The road map now exists. Whether 2035 becomes the year gender parity finally moves from aspiration to reality will depend not on speeches delivered in Abuja or Freetown, but on the political courage to translate those promises into laws, institutions, budgets and opportunities.

For millions of women across West Africa, the countdown has begun. The next chapter will be written not by declarations, but by decisions