As the global community marks International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has issued a high-stakes demand to the Federal and State governments: transition from symbolic gestures to robust policy protections for Nigerian women.
Under this year’s theme, “Give to Gain,” the organization released a statement signed by Mr. Robert Egbe, Media and Communication Officer, over the weekend highlighting the stark contrast between the immense labor women contribute to the nation and the systemic neglect they face in return.
“These realities expose a clear contradiction,” the statement noted. “Nigerian women give so much to sustain society, yet many continue to live within systems that fail to guarantee their safety, health, political participation, and economic security.”
Economic Inequality and the Time Poverty Crisis
CAPPA emphasized that women remain the backbone of the Nigerian economy, yet they are disproportionately trapped in low-income, informal sectors. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that women farmers and traders consistently struggle to access land, credit, and social protections.
The group further called on policymakers to address time poverty the phenomenon where women are overwhelmed by unpaid care work. To combat this, CAPPA is pushing for affordable childcare and paid family leave, infrastructure improvements in water and sanitation to reduce domestic labor time, and gender-responsive budgeting to close the widening gender pay gap.
A National Emergency: Gender-Based Violence and Femicide
A primary focus of the report was the alarming rise in violence. According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, 31 percent of Nigerian women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence.
The statistics for 2025 are particularly grim, with over 10,326 cases of gender-based violence reported in just nine months. CAPPA joined civil society advocates in demanding that the government declare the rising rate of femicide a national emergency, calling for immediate accountability and stronger enforcement of existing laws.
Political Representation: Nigeria Hits a Global Low
The organization also drew attention to the invisible status of women in Nigerian governance. Currently, Nigeria ranks 180 out of 185 countries globally for women’s parliamentary representation the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the current standing in Nigeria is only 19 women occupy seats in the 469-member National Assembly. Women hold only 3.9 percent of legislative seats and face persistent sexism within male-dominated political circles.
CAPPA is urging the swift passage of the Special Seats for Women Bill to ensure that female voices are no longer sidelined in national policy-making.
The Call for Accountability
Signed by Media & Communications Officer Robert Egbe, the press release concludes that the “Give to Gain” theme must be viewed as a demand for government accountability.
“As we reflect on the theme ‘Give to Gain’, true progress for Nigeria lies in recognizing and reciprocating the contributions of its women,” the statement concluded. “Investing in women’s rights remains fundamental to building a just and sustainable future for all Nigerians.”
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