Gender Strategy and Advancement International (GSAI) has called for Nigerian media houses to reserve at least 5% of their news coverage for stories about women and girls.
The organisation wants this quota to apply to key sectors such as politics, governance, the economy, security, health, climate change, and development.
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The group made this call on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council Secretariat in Abuja, where it presented research showing that women are still largely under-represented in the media.
Leading the team, GSAI’s Executive Director and host of Gender Agenda on AIT, Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack, said the goal is to correct “many years of excluding women from media conversations.”
She said women’s voices are still not treated as part of the national agenda, noting that if women are not visible before party primaries, they are already cut off from political opportunities.
Adaora referred to UN Global Media Monitoring Project data showing that only 25% of people featured in news globally are women, Nigeria’s figures are even lower. She added that young women, rural women, and women with disabilities are “barely seen” in the media.
She also highlighted that more than 45 women contested elections in 2023, but many lost at the primary level mainly due to poor media visibility.
She said the proposed 5% quota should cover areas such as politics and elections, the economy, governance, public policy, security, peacebuilding, science, technology, and innovation.
She recommended that the policy be introduced as a private member’s bill at the National Assembly ahead of the 2027 elections.
Other members of the GSAI delegation included Communication Lead Khadijat Alkali Godwin, Head of Administration Victor Chima, Contact Director Ayoola Oluboron, and WIMDI representative Anele Lilian.
In her response, NUJ FCT Chairperson Ms. Grace Ike praised the initiative and said the union would support the advocacy campaign. She reaffirmed the NUJ’s commitment to fair and inclusive media practices and promised to engage media organisations to push the demand forward.
She said journalists must ensure that everyone is fairly represented in their reports, adding that the NUJ is open to partnerships on training, research, and advocacy to improve newsroom practices.
Others present at the meeting included the NUJ FCT Vice Chairman Yahaya Ndabambo, Council Secretary Comrade Jide Oyekunle, Auditor Rose Ikoko-Tega and Ex-Officio member Ebriku John.
A representative of GSAI also stressed the importance of fairness, inclusivity, and bias training for journalists, explaining that the 5% quota will help amplify the voices of women who are often unheard.
The organisation thanked the NUJ leadership and called for continued collaboration to build a more inclusive media environment.
An NUJ official hinted that the Council may issue a national statement during the 16 Days of Activism campaign, urging editors and media executives across the country to support the quota.
The delegation noted that the NUJ FCT Council is well positioned to lead this advocacy, especially with the election of its first female chairperson in 41 years.
Next Steps
GSAI said it will continue to engage media organisations, civil society groups, and lawmakers to push the policy forward.
“Without women in media leadership, women’s stories will continue to be ignored,” Ms. Forrester said.
“A strong democracy must reflect the voices of all its people, not just half.”