Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria
Nigeria: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments was 4.2% in 2026. ▼ Falling
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria, 2001–2026
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria is 4.2%, measured in 2026.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.2% on the previous year and down 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria peaked at 7.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2001.
Nigeria ranks 201st of 210 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 3.4% | — |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | +95.0% |
| 2005 | 4.7% | -29.2% |
| 2006 | 6.4% | +35.4% |
| 2007 | 6.1% | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | +14.2% |
| 2009 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 6.8% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 6.7% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | -16.6% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | -38.4% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | +8.3% |
| 2025 | 3.9% | -0.5% |
| 2026 | 4.2% | +8.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 4.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.7%, 19% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.0%, 18% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +95.0% | 3.4% | 6.7% |
| 2020 | -38.4% | 5.6% | 3.4% |
| 2006 | +35.4% | 4.7% | 6.4% |
| 2005 | -29.2% | 6.7% | 4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.3% | 3.4% | 7.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 5.6% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.4% | 4.2% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More gender data for Nigeria
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 99,803 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6887 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 162,578 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 162,578 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.75 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 3.55 million people (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 3.66 million people (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 3.45 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 3.54 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 3.38 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria?
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Nigeria was 4.2% in 2026, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2008.
- What is the lowest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2001.
- How does Nigeria rank for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Nigeria ranks 201st out of 210 countries with data for 2026.
- Is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (% of total number of seats). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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