Double Minority’ Documentary to Premiere, Exposes Gender Inequity in Nigerian Politics

Lagos, Nigeria – July 11, 2025 — A compelling new documentary spotlighting the steep challenges confronting women in Nigeria’s political space is set to premiere on July 14, 2025 in Lagos. Titled “Double Minority,” the film is produced by Daria Media and follows the experiences of nine courageous women who contested elective positions during the 2023 general elections.

Directed by award-winning journalist and media executive Kadaria Ahmed, the documentary captures the deeply entrenched obstacles women face in their quest for political office, including cultural bias, lack of financial support, and, in some cases, threats of violence.

Featured in the film are well-known figures such as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator Ireti Kingibe, and Hon. Nnenna Elendu–Ukeje, alongside Adeola Azeez, Simi Olusola, Hauwa Gambo, Khadijah Abdullahi Iya,Hon. Munira Suleiman Tanimu, and Joyce Daniels. Through their narratives, Double Minority provides a raw and human look into what it means to be a woman running for office in a system largely structured against them.

Despite accounting for nearly half of Nigeria’s population and electorate, women occupy just 3.6% of elective positions—far below the 35% representation advocated in the National Gender Policy. The film’s release comes at a time of renewed national debate on the stalled Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill in the National Assembly.

“Female exclusion from elective offices and governance is therefore not just bad for women but also bad for the country,” said Ahmed, who also serves as the film’s Executive Producer.

Backing the documentary is the MacArthur Foundation, whose Africa Director, Dr. Kole Shettima, called the underrepresentation of women “an embarrassment” and warned that “it causes significant reputational damage to Nigeria.”

“The political status of women is an indicator of a country’s development,” Shettima noted. “Nigeria must decide what matters more — its progress or exclusionary politics.”

Following the premiere, a high-level panel discussion will be held, moderated by *Nabilah Usman, a journalist with Radio Now 95.3FM. The event aims to further spark public discourse and lend momentum to ongoing advocacy for gender equity in governance.

Already hailed as a must-watch, Double Minority has been described by Funmi Ade-Ajayi Ogunlesi, Director of Government Affairs at Citi, as “probably the most important documentary I’ve watched in the last five to ten years.”

The film is expected to serve as a wake-up call to both policymakers and the general public, amplifying calls for urgent reforms and a more inclusive political system in Nigeria.