Female lawyers and key stakeholders have called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s legal profession to promote gender inclusivity and increase women’s representation in leadership roles. They argue that such transformation is vital for national development.
The call was made at a roundtable discussion on advancing women’s leadership in the legal sector, held in Abuja and organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC
) in collaboration with Co-Impact, a global philanthropic initiative.
Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director of WARDC, identified societal norms, legal constraints, and entrenched patriarchal systems as key barriers preventing women from advancing in the legal profession.
“The institution must change,” she said. “Transforming the culture and value system of the legal profession to include more women is not only strategic, it will also help shape laws and drive national development.”
She emphasised the need to reform institutional frameworks to better respond to gender-specific needs.
Mary Wandia, Regional Director for Africa at Co-Impact, highlighted structural barriers that hinder women’s progress and undermine justice delivery in Nigeria.
“Patriarchal mindsets within legal institutions are grounded in norms that disregard women. These institutions must be sensitised to dismantle discriminatory attitudes,” she said, adding that mentorship is key to supporting women into leadership.
Professor Adefunke Bamgbose, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Ibadan, underscored the importance of encouraging female lawyers to aspire to leadership roles. “Women have often been conditioned to think they can’t lead. We must help them overcome that mindset,” she said.
Mr. Danladi Plang, Programme Head at Nigeria International IDEA, said all stakeholders, especially men, have a role in tackling inequality in the legal sector. He called for advocacy efforts grounded in data to drive change in this traditionally conservative field.
The roundtable ended with a shared commitment to reforming the legal profession’s culture and policies to make leadership more accessible to women.
