Despite years of struggle for inclusion in governance, women in the 19 states in northern Nigeria are currently cumulatively holding just 60 positions as commissioners out of 392 available cabinet positions, WikkiData reveals.
WikkiTimes’ comprehensive analysis of cabinet appointments across the three geopolitical zones of North Central, North East, and North West Nigeria has found a significant gender disparity in representation between male and female cabinet appointees.
The United Nations through the Beijing Declaration has prescribed 30% representation for women in elective and appointive positions within the political space of signatory countries.
Nigeria has yet to meet the target at all levels including the federal government which signed the resolution on behalf of the country.
The breakdown of analysis indicates that at the zonal level, North Central has more inclusion of women as commissioners with 26 out of the total of 119; followed by the North East which has 18 women out of 124 while the North West has the least women representation as commissioners of just 16 out of 149.
At the sub-national level, Kwara State tops the list with 50% women as commissioners in the state’s executive council.
Conversely, Yobe and Gombe have the least women inclusion as only one commissioner each represents women in the cabinet of 20 and 17 commissioners respectively in the states.
North Central
The North Central region, comprising six states, has a total of 119 commissioners but only 26 are women, representing 24% while their counterparts, men hold 76% of the cabinet in the region.
WikkiTimes findings show that Plateau State has 19 commissioners but allocated just 4 to women that include Mrs. Caroline Pangland Dafur, Commissioner for Women Affairs; Mrs. Dongkum Grace Schwarta, Commissioner of Finance; Dr. Kachollom Pyam Gang, Commissioner of Education; and Rt. Hon Joyce Lohya Ramnap, Commissioner for Information & Communication.
Niger State boasts the highest number of commissioners at 30, with 6 women namely Hadiza Idris Kuta, Commissioner of Trade and Investment; Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed as Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education; Hon. Binta Mamman as Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Hajiya Titi Auta, Ministry for Women Affairs; Elizabeth Shaba, Ministry for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; and Fatima Adamu as the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism.
The data denotes that Kwara State stands out for its relatively higher gender inclusivity, with 9 women appointed out of 18 commissioners.
The commissioners are Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi, Commissioner of Social Development; Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, Commissioner of Education and Human Capital Development; Hauwa Nuru, Commissioner of Finance; Damilola Yusuf, Commissioner of Business Innovation and Technology and Oloruntoyosi Thomas, Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Other female commissioners from the State include Bola Olukoju, Commissioner of Communications; Amina El-Imam, Commissioner of Health; Mary Arinde, Commissioner of Tertiary Education and Olaitan Buraimoh, Commissioner for Women Affairs.
In Nasarawa State’s 16-cabinet commissioners, the three women are Princess Margaret Elayo, Commissioner for Women and Humanitarian Affairs; Munirat Abdullahi, Commissioner of Finance; and Barrister Jugbo Hauwa Samuel, pioneer Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state.
However, states like Benue and Kogi have only 2 women each in their cabinet. They have the least women participation at state executive levels in the subregion.
In Benue, Mrs. Joy Luga, Commissioner for Cooperatives, Urban and Rural Development, and Mrs. Ann Itodo, Commissioners for Women Affairs are the only women in the State Executive Council.
For Kogi State, Hajia Fatima Monoh, Commissioner for Women Affairs, and Hajia Rabiatu Okite Momoh, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs are the only female.
The duo of Benue and Kogi’s positions emphasise the need for greater female representation in decision-making in the states.
North East
The North East region, also made up of six states, has 124 commissioners but women occupy only 18 representing just 15% whereas men have the largest 85% cabinet positions.
In this region, Taraba State leads with 21 commissioners, including 7 women, the highest number of female appointees in the region.
The women commissioners include Barr. Zainab Usman Jalingo, Commissioner for Information and Reorientation; Hajiya Aishat Abdulazeez Barde, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change; Sarah Enoch Adi, Finance; Mary Sinjen, Women Affairs and Child Development, Dr. Augustina Godwin, Basic Education; Engr. Naomi Tanko Agbu, Energy and Economic Development, and Dr. Filister Musa, Social Justice and Integration.
In contrast, the findings reveal that Gombe and Yobe States have only 1 woman each in their cabinets. The region’s total of 18 women commissioners reflects a concerning trend of underrepresentation, with women making up just half of the Beijing Declaration of all appointments at the highest decision-making bodies at the subnational.
Of Bauchi State’s 24 commissioners, only 4 women are found namely Dr. Lydia Haruna Tsammani, Ministry of Higher Education; Hajia Amina Muhammad Katagum, Commissioner for the Ministry of Lands and Survey; Hajara Jibrin Gidado, Women Affairs and Child Development and Hajara Yakubu Wanka, Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
Adamawa State’s 25 commissioners were contrasted by only 3 women such as Wunfe Anthony, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development; Mrs. Augustina Wandamihya, Commissioner of Finance and Mrs. Neido Geofrrey Kofulto, Commissioner of Information and Strategy.
In Borno State, out of the 17 commissioners, the only two women are Zuwaira Gambo as Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development and Barr. Hauwa Abubakar who serves as the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice. Dr. Mairo Mandara was appointed as Special Adviser and Coordinator for Sustainable Development, a cabinet position.
WikkiTimes found that Gombe and Yobe States are the only subnational entities in the region that each have just one female commissioner.
While Mrs. Naomi J.J. Awak currently serves as the lone woman Commissioner in Gombe’s 17 members, heading the State’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development; in Yobe, Hajiya Yajalo Badama is the Commissioner for Women Affairs representing women in the 20-member commissioners.
North West
The North West region, consisting of seven states, has the highest number of commissioners at 149. However, it also has the lowest number of women appointees, with only 16 women across all states, depicting 89% to 11%.
The review shows that Kaduna State leads in gender inclusivity in the region, with 4 women out of 14 commissioners namely: Patience Fakai, Commissioner of Business, Innovation & Technology; Shizzer Joy Nasara Bada, Commissioner of Finance; Hajiya Umma Kaltume Ahmad, Commissioner of Health and Hajiya Rabi Salisu, Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development.
Other states like Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Jigawa have only 2 women each, highlighting a significant gender gap.
Kebbi State’s 26 Commissioners have just Hajiya Rakiya Tanko Ayuba, Commissioner for Information and Culture; and Hajiya Ramatu Gulma, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice.
In Kano State, out of 29 commissioners, Ladidi Ibrahim Abba, Tourism and Culture, and Aisha Lawal Saji, Women Affairs are the only females in the cabinet.
Findings reveal that Katsina State’s 2 women out of 20 commissioners are Hadiza Yar’Adu, Commissioner for Women Affairs, and Zainab Musawa, Education.
Of Sokoto State’s 25 commissioners, the only women include Asabe Balarabe, Commissioner of Health, and Hadiza Shagari, Commissioner of Women Affairs.
Zamfara’s 18 commissioners are male dominated with only Aisha Anka, Commissioner of Health, and Maradun Muhammad Nafisat, Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development as female representative in the cabinet.
In the same vein, Jigawa has just Prof. Hannatu Sabi, Commissioner of Finance, and Hadiza Abdulwahab, Commissioner of Women Affairs among the 17 commissioners in the state cabinet.
Activists Call for Inclusion
Women rights advocates observed that Nigeria at both federal and subnational levels has not met their commitment to the Beijing Declaration which allocates 30% representation for women in appointive and elective positions of decision-making.
Political analysts and gender advocates have also expressed concern over the low representation of women in cabinet appointments. “While some states like Kwara and Taraba have made commendable efforts, the overall picture is disappointing,” said Aisha Mohammed, a Kano-based gender rights activist. “Women constitute a significant portion of the population and deserve equal opportunities to contribute to governance.”
Zainab Nasir Ahmad, an advocate for women in governance and executive director, of the Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS), emphasized that excluding women from governance is not just a disservice to them but a setback to societal progress.
“Women bring unique perspectives, innovative solutions, and a balanced approach to governance,” she says. “When they are left out of decision-making spaces, policies and programs often fail to address the needs of a significant portion of the population.”
Ms. Ahmad calls for deliberate policies to promote women’s inclusion in leadership, whether through political party structures, government appointments, or electoral processes.
She added “My call to action is to governors and other stakeholders to recognize that appointing women is not about tokenism—it is about ensuring effective governance that reflects the diversity of our society. “Northern Nigeria cannot afford to keep women on the sidelines if we truly desire progress and development.”
