Abuja: West African women have urged regional leaders to dismantle the structural barriers hindering female political involvement across the sub-region, advocating for increased participation of women in governance. The women made this appeal at the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) Forum during the ongoing 2025 Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament and its 25th anniversary in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the women, representing various groups from West Africa, focused on the theme ‘Advancing Women’s Proportional Representation in Governance.’ They highlighted the underrepresentation of women in political roles within ECOWAS member states, despite women making up more than half of the sub-region’s population.
ECOFEPA President Veronica Sesay emphasized that the forum serves as a crucial platform for promoting proportional political representation across West Africa. She noted that all female parliamentarians at state and national levels are recognized as full members of ECOFEPA, which fosters collaboration among member states.
Sesay pointed out significant gender gaps across the sub-region, with most ECOWAS member countries not meeting the 35 percent benchmark for women’s political representation. She cited Senegal as a leader in gender political mainstreaming with 42 percent female lawmakers, attributed to its strong quota laws, while Nigeria stands at just 6 percent. Sesay called for member states to adopt laws mandating exclusive proportional political representation and reserved seats in parliament and other political positions.
Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, represented by Hajiya Laila Barau, highlighted the unfair underrepresentation of women in politics, despite them constituting more than half of West Africa’s population. She mentioned that Nigeria’s current administration has increased the appointment of women to strategic leadership positions to address the decline in elected female representatives. Tinubu praised Nigeria’s National Assembly for its legislative efforts to introduce gender quotas, emphasizing the urgency of action to build an equitable society.
Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, commended ECOFEPA for its continued advocacy for gender mainstreaming in politics across the ECOWAS sub-region. She reiterated the ministry’s commitment to supporting programs that enhance women’s political participation, economic empowerment, and leadership within the ECOWAS bloc.
Bolaji Olagbaju, Deputy Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly and Chairperson of the Conference of Nigerian Female Parliamentarians (CONFEPA), described gender balance as a fundamental democratic right rather than a favor. She praised ECOWAS leadership for its ongoing dialogues on inclusive governance across member states.
A panel session featuring notable female parliamentarians, including former Liberian First Lady Jewel Taylor and Nigeria’s Sen. Biodun Olujinmi, examined ‘Strengthening Governance Towards the Realisation of ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Impact of Gender Parity Laws and Allocation of Reserved Seats.’ The session concluded with an interactive discussion, where female parliamentarians reaffirmed their commitment to advocating for stronger political inclusion for women in the sub-region.
NAN reports that the two-week Extraordinary Session, coinciding with the Parliament’s 25th Anniversary, addresses various issues, including the 2026 Community Budget and legislative reforms.