West African women want ECOWAS to dismantle barriers to female political representation
Women leaders from across West Africa have called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take decisive action in removing long-standing structural barriers that continue to limit women’s participation and leadership in politics.
Their demand formed the major highlight of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) Forum held in Abuja during the ECOWAS Parliament’s 2025 Extraordinary Session, which also coincided with the institution’s 25th anniversary.
The forum brought together female lawmakers, civil society groups and gender advocates from across the sub-region to deliberate on the theme, “Advancing Women’s Proportional Representation in Governance.”
Speakers observed that although women make up more than half of West Africa’s population, they remain widely underrepresented in political offices at national and regional levels.
ECOFEPA President, Veronica Sesay, described the gathering as a vital step in the push for stronger female political presence.
She announced that the association now recognises all female parliamentarians, both at state and national levels, as full members, a move she said would enhance collaboration among ECOWAS countries.
Sesay expressed concern that many member states are yet to meet the 35 per cent benchmark for female political representation.
She cited Senegal as a regional model where gender quota laws have boosted women’s parliamentary representation to 42 per cent, contrasting sharply with Nigeria’s six per cent. She urged member states to enact and enforce proportional representation laws, including reserving seats for women in national parliaments and elective offices.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, represented by Laila Barau, also expressed worry over the low number of women in political leadership.
She said the Nigerian government has deliberately appointed women into strategic positions to counter the decline in elected female political office holders.
Tinubu praised the National Assembly for ongoing legislative work on gender quotas and called for bolder regional action to build a more inclusive society.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, commended ECOFEPA for its sustained advocacy across the sub-region, noting that the ministry remains committed to supporting programmes that promote women’s political participation, economic empowerment and leadership development.
Ekiti State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker and Chairperson of the Conference of Nigerian Female Parliamentarians (CONFEPA), Bolaji Olagbaju, stressed that gender balance is a democratic right and not a favour extended to women.
She applauded ECOWAS for sustaining conversations on inclusive governance at the continental level.
A panel session featuring former Liberian First Lady Jewel Taylor and Nigerian political figure Senator Biodun Olujinmi examined the significance of gender parity laws, reserved seats and governance reforms in achieving the ECOWAS Vision 2050.
The discussion concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to pushing for substantive progress in women’s political inclusion.
The ECOWAS Parliament’s ongoing two-week Extraordinary Session, which began on Monday, is addressing wide-ranging issues including the 2026 Community Budget, legislative reforms, political developments in Guinea-Bissau, engagements with international partners and efforts to strengthen gender representation across the region.
