Female lawyers in Nigeria have called for urgent reforms to address deep-rooted societal, institutional, and policy barriers that hinder their progress in the legal profession.
They said that despite their qualifications and contributions, the profession remains overwhelmingly male-dominated.
The women lawyers made the call at a roundtable meeting on advancing women's leadership in Nigeria's legal sector in Abuja, organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) in partnership with Co-Impact, a global philanthropic collaborative promoting just and inclusive systems.
Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), said the legal sector reflects entrenched patriarchal norms restricting women's leadership.
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A new report titled "Barriers and Bridges: Women's Advancement to Leadership in Nigeria's Legal Profession" by WARDC and Co-Impact revealed persistent gender disparities in Nigeria's legal sector.
The report shows that as of 2022, women made up only 28% of Supreme Court justices, 27% of Court of Appeal judges, and 35% of Federal High Court judges-figures below the 35% benchmark set by Nigeria's National Gender Policy.
In the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), female representation remains low, with only five out of 128 branches led by women as of 2023. By 2024, just 35 of the 720 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) were women, and only four of the 37 attorneys-general were female.
Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has appointed only two female Chief Justices.
Akiyode-Afolabi said women lawyers also face systemic bias and sexual harassment, particularly in private practice, with no effective mechanisms for redress.
"We must transform the culture and value system of the legal profession across all critical pipelines-whether in academia, legal practice, private firms, or within the justice ministry-to enable more women to attain leadership positions.
"Having women at the helm of the legal sector is not just strategic; it has the potential to reshape the law and drive broader societal development for women. This change requires a fundamental redefinition of institutions to make them responsive to gender-specific needs," she added.
Mary Wandia, Regional Director for Africa at Co-Impact, said that despite being highly qualified, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across the bar, academia, and the judiciary.
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"The institutions are simply not structured to support women's growth from recruitment through promotion," she said.
Wandia said unequal pay, lack of mentorship, and biased training and promotion systems push many women out of the legal workforce or confine them to lower tiers.
"This isn't just a gender issue; it's a justice issue. A legal system dominated by men offers only one perspective," she said.
She added that reform must include both institutional change and the transformation of attitudes.
Prof. Adefunke Bamgbose, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Strategic Partnerships at the University of Ibadan, stressed the importance of empowering female lawyers to pursue leadership roles in the legal profession.
"Women have often been socialised to believe they cannot lead. We must challenge that mindset, they absolutely can," she said, noting that senior female lawyers are already mentoring younger colleagues to help them advance in their careers.
