Nigeria Launches Program to Triple Women in Parliament

Nigerian women are learning how to claim their place in power through a groundbreaking program that treats politics not as a men's club, but as a skill anyone can master.

The HerCademy Legislative Mentorship Programme launched this week in Abuja, bringing together aspiring female leaders from across Nigeria for six weeks of intensive training. The program, created by TOS Foundation Africa in partnership with the Swiss Embassy, teaches women everything from how laws are made to how to negotiate power in rooms that weren't designed for them.

The timing couldn't be more urgent. Nigeria currently has the lowest rate of female parliamentary representation in all of Africa, with women holding just 17 out of 469 seats in the National Assembly. That's 3.6%, far below the global average of 26.5% and nowhere near the African Union's goal of 50% gender parity.

"Nigeria does not lack capable women," said program founder Osasu Igbinedion-Ogwuche. "We lack systems that expect women to lead and structures that support them in winning and governing effectively."

The program goes beyond encouraging women to run for office. It focuses on preparing them to actually govern once they get there, with legislative simulations and mentorship sessions led by experienced leaders.

British Deputy High Commissioner Gill Lever delivered perhaps the program's most powerful message during a fireside chat at the launch. "Power is rarely given to women," she said. "It is usually negotiated and sometimes taken."

The Ripple Effect

When women participate in governance, everyone benefits. Studies show that female legislators are more likely to sponsor bills on health, education, and family welfare, issues that affect entire communities.

Switzerland's Chargé d'Affaires Siamak Rouhani emphasized this broader impact. "By investing in these aspiring parliamentarians, we are advancing inclusive governance as the backbone of a stable and prosperous society," he said.

The program arrives as Nigeria's National Assembly considers the Reserved Seats Bill, which would create special seats for women in national and state legislatures for 16 years. The temporary measure needs approval from two-thirds of both chambers and at least 24 state assemblies.

Participants in HerCademy will learn legislative processes, policy development, and political strategy, skills that matter whether or not reserved seats become law.

The six-week program represents a shift from simply lamenting low female representation to actively building the pipeline of prepared, confident women leaders Nigeria needs.