Nigeria’s Gender Equality Crisis: New Report Highlights Urgent Need for Reform Amid Ongoing Challenges

PRESS RELEASE

Today, as the global community advances toward gender equality, Nigeria continues to grapple with systemic issues hindering women’s empowerment. Recent events, including the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, underscore the entrenched challenges women face in Nigerian politics and society.

In light of these developments, Dataphyte has released the Gender in Nigeria 2025 report, offering a comprehensive analysis of the current state of gender equality in the country. According to the organisation’s Head of Policy Research Communications, Adijat Kareem, the report relied primarily on the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey of 2023-24, published by the National Population Commission. “Additionally, we used relevant data from the 2022 Statistics Report on Women and Men in Nigeria and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2021, both published by the National Bureau of Statistics”, she said

“Our findings are presented through a comparative analysis of the 2018 and 2023 realities of gender issues in Nigeria, with the 2023-24 NDHS being the most recent Demographic and Health Survey conducted in the country,” she added.

Key Findings:

• Gender-Based Violence: Reports of rape surged from 29% in 2020 to 65% in 2022. Alarmingly, 48.2% of women believe wife-beating is justified under certain conditions, reflecting deep-seated cultural norms that perpetuate violence against women.
• Economic Participation: While 77.1% of women are active in the workforce, a significant 87.9% are confined to self-employment, with limited access to formal wage employment. This disparity highlights systemic barriers to women’s economic empowerment.
• Digital Exclusion: Only 13.4% of Nigerian women have ever used a computer, compared to 21.8% of men, underscoring a persistent digital divide that hampers women’s access to information and opportunities in the digital economy.
• Health and Reproductive Rights: A concerning 71.2% of married women lack autonomy in making sexual and reproductive health decisions, limiting their ability to make informed choices about their bodies and futures.
• Child Marriage & Trafficking: 12.5% of Nigerian women aged 15-49 were married before age 15, and 77.3% of trafficked persons in Nigeria in 2022 were female, highlighting severe violations of women’s rights and freedoms.

A Milestone in Dataphyte’s 5-Year Journey and Future Vision

This report is released at a significant moment as Dataphyte marks its fifth anniversary and refines its strategic direction based on its Theory of Change. Dataphyte believes that IF civil society, with their influence and mobilisation power at the grassroots, can analyse and incorporate development data into their policy advocacy, AND mainstream media and strategic communication platforms are equipped with the skills to use data to moderate the media and information literacy ecosystem, AND citizens have access to technology and the right incentives to collect and contribute relevant data, THEN there will be increased accountability and sustainable development.

Since its launch in 2020, Dataphyte has pioneered a movement—bridging data, storytelling, and advocacy to drive transparency, accountability, and policy action. The most profound shift has been the widespread acceptance of data-powered journalism and evidence-based advocacy across sectors. Once seen as a niche discipline, this approach is now catalysing government responsiveness, civic engagement, and corporate accountability. While Dataphyte is part of a broader movement, its leadership in telling impactful data stories, facilitating access to data, and training stakeholders has been instrumental in shaping this transformation.

As Dataphyte counts its impact over the past five years, it is now evolving into a socioeconomic data and policy think tank. The next phase of its work will leverage a mix of hyperlocal data collection, AI-driven analytics, and advanced data solutions to drive narrative change, socioeconomic discourse, and sustainable development in Nigeria, across Africa, and globally. By harnessing cutting-edge data technology, Dataphyte aims to provide actionable insights for governance, policy, and advocacy, ensuring that data is at the heart of decision-making processes that shape the future of societies.

An Advocacy Tool for Change

“Five years ago, we committed to using data to push for a more inclusive society,” said Joshua Olufemi, Founder of Dataphyte. “As we unveil this latest report, we do so with the hope that these numbers will not remain the same in another five years. We believe that with strategic policy reforms and sustained advocacy, these statistics can change, and gender equity can move from aspiration to reality.”

This report is not just for policymakers, it’s for civil society, the media, and every Nigerian invested in a future where gender no longer dictates access to education, economic opportunities, or personal autonomy. The work is far from done, but if these numbers tell us anything, it’s that change, though slow, is possible.

The Gender in Nigeria 2025 report serves as a critical resource for policymakers, advocates, and development organizations striving toward Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). By providing data-driven insights and actionable recommendations, the report aims to inform policies and initiatives that promote gender equity.

You can download the Full Report here.