By Maryam Suleiman Yusuf

On a humid evening in Kaduna, 16-year-old Amina Bello sat by a dim kerosene lamp, scribbling notes while her mother fried bean cakes by the roadside. Her father often said girls were “better off in their husband’s homes,” but her mother quietly encouraged her to stay in school. Years later, Amina became a university lecturer and runs a community project mentoring teenage girls.

Her story is not an isolated one. Across Nigeria, women are rewriting long-held assumptions about gender roles. They are climbing educational ladders, steering businesses, shaping policies, and challenging cultural barriers—often against overwhelming odds.

Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim, Nigeria Minister of Women Affairs

Breaking Barriers Through Education

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has nearly half of its 223 million citizens who are women. Yet inequality remains stark. According to UNICEF, about 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, and six in ten of them are girls. Women hold less than 10% of political offices and around 25% of senior management positions in corporate Nigeria.

Despite these figures, progress is unmistakable. Education remains the single most transformative tool for Nigerian women. Amina’s scholarship to Ahmadu Bello University changed her life and inspired her to mentor others. Similar stories unfold in Borno, where NGOs run literacy programs for displaced women, and in Lagos, where digital training hubs teach coding to girls from low-income homes.

The National Universities Commission reports that female enrollment in Nigerian universities now stands at 47%, with more young women entering fields like law, medicine, and technology—once considered off-limits. Yet challenges persist: early marriage, poverty, and cultural beliefs that undervalue girls’ education continue to hold many back.

 

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of World Trade Organisation

Leadership and Entrepreneurship

From global icons like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, and Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, to business trailblazers like Ibukun Awosika, Nigerian women have proven their leadership capacity.

At the grassroots level, countless others are making change from the ground up. Chioma Eze, a Lagos-based tech entrepreneur, recalls: 
“At first, investors assumed I was someone’s assistant. They didn’t believe a young woman could own a tech company.”

Today, her startup trains hundreds of women in software engineering—breaking stereotypes and opening new doors.

Nigerian Women now understand the fun behind coding- Source: abovewhispers.com

In Abuja, Jameelah Abdussalam Yusuf, a lawyer-turned-fashion entrepreneur, has built Mylah Stitches, a modest fashion brand rooted in empowerment. 

“Studying law taught me discipline and advocacy, but fashion gave me a voice,” she says. “Modesty isn’t limitation—it’s empowerment. When a woman chooses how she dresses, it becomes an act of agency.”

Jameelah Abdussalam Yusuf, CEO Myla Stitches, Abuja, Nigeria

Her fellowship in Iceland revealed how intentional policies can nurture equality. “Nigeria needs both grassroots action and strong institutions,” she says. “When women are supported, society flourishes.”

Balancing Culture and Ambition

One of the toughest challenges for Nigerian women lies in balancing cultural expectations with personal ambition. Many are still primarily seen as homemakers, and career-driven women often face criticism.

Human rights lawyer Hauwa Ibrahim notes: 
“People told me I was too focused on my career to marry. But I’ve learned that ambition is not a threat to family—it strengthens it.”

Encouragingly, more men are now supporting their wives’ and daughters’ education and careers. Traditional and religious leaders are also beginning to champion the benefits of women’s empowerment for community development.

Grassroots Impact

Beyond the spotlight, countless women are transforming their communities. In Maiduguri, Fatima Yusuf, displaced by Boko Haram violence, now runs a cooperative teaching tailoring and soap-making to widows. 
“We lost everything,” she says, “but rebuilding starts with our own hands.”

In the South West, women’s associations are using cooperative savings schemes to expand small businesses and fund their children’s education. These women may never make the headlines, but their impact is deeply felt.

Tobi Amusan, Nigerian track and field athlete

Visible Progress and Ongoing Challenges

The last decade has brought visible gains. Women like Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Senator Remi Tinubu have held influential political roles, while athlete Tobi Amusan made history as Nigeria’s first world champion in athletics. In entertainment, Genevieve Nnaji and Funke Akindele have built global reputations, inspiring a new generation of female storytellers.

Yet serious challenges remain: gender-based violence, underrepresentation in politics, unequal pay, and limited healthcare access. Experts argue that Nigeria’s development goals cannot be achieved without fully integrating women into its economic and political systems.

Still, Nigerian women’s resilience suggests the tide is turning. Every girl who stays in school, every woman who leads a company, and every mother who insists on a better future for her daughter contributes to national transformation.

The Way Forward

As Jameelah Abdussalam Yusuf advises: 
“Build competence, seek mentors, and surround yourself with people who believe in you. Most importantly, give yourself permission to grow beyond limits others may set for you.”

In a nation where women make up half the population, women’s empowerment is not just a moral cause—it is Nigeria’s strongest strategy for growth.