A one-day consultative meeting on advancing inclusive reporting of gender issues in Nigeria’s electoral and democratic processes has called on online media platforms to play a more proactive role in amplifying women’s voices in politics and promoting gender equity in governance.
Held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at the Exclusive Serene Hotel in Abuja, the event was convened by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), with support from the European Union under the EU-SDGNII programme. The meeting brought together GOCOP leadership, online publishers, and other media stakeholders to examine ways to enhance the visibility and impact of women in Nigeria’s political landscape.
In her opening remarks, GOCOP President Maureen Chigbo urged participants to develop practical strategies for mainstreaming women’s electoral issues in media content. Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, emphasized the need for sustained commitment from online publishers to upscale reporting on women’s political participation and create an enabling environment for journalists to explore these issues in depth.
A keynote presentation by Ms. Anikeade Funke-Treasure, Executive Director of Illuminate Nigeria Development Network, called for deliberate and bold media efforts to reframe narratives around women’s viability for elective and appointive positions. She stressed the importance of advocacy and sustained visibility for female politicians.
Participants identified several key challenges, including poor media attention to grassroots women, cultural and societal barriers, financial hurdles such as high campaign costs, and the ongoing erosion of past gains in women’s political representation. Alarmingly, women’s representation has dropped to just 3% in the Senate and 4% in the House of Representatives.
However, the meeting commended states like Kwara and Ekiti for their commendable female representation, contrasting them with states that have no women elected into public office.
At the end of deliberations, the consultative meeting issued the following key resolutions:
- GOCOP and its members should use their platforms to promote and spotlight women’s electoral issues and outcomes, giving visibility to female political actors.
- The Guild should lead a renewed media campaign showcasing the achievements of women in politics and highlighting emerging voices.
- The capacity of women in elected positions should be strengthened to enable them to mentor and inspire others.
- IPC and GOCOP should initiate dialogue sessions with female legislators, beginning with Kwara State, to share stories and best practices that can be modeled in other regions.
- Media organizations should partner with groups like the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) to engage community and religious leaders on supporting women’s political participation.
- GOCOP’s 120 member organizations are encouraged to create dedicated sections for women-focused content and partner with IPC to generate and share such information regularly.
- GOCOP members should advocate for the realization of the global 35% affirmative action target for women across all government levels.
- The Guild should support legislative and policy reforms that reduce the burden of campaign financing on women and engage political parties on the issue.
- GOCOP should also promote skill development in inclusive reporting by encouraging online journalists to take advantage of a virtual training platform being established by IPC and CEMESO under Component 4: Support to Media of the EU-SDGNII programme.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the IPC, and Maureen Chigbo, President of GOCOP.
