The state of women’s representation in African parliaments shows a sharp contrast between progress and persistent gaps. Rwanda leads the continent with 61.3% of its national parliament made up of women, more than any other African country, and a global benchmark (1st in the world). On the other end, Nigeria ranks last in Africa, with women holding just 4.3% of seats in the national legislature. This extreme disparity underscores the uneven strides being made across the continent toward gender inclusion in governance.
Beyond Nigeria, several other countries also struggle with low female participation. Algeria (5.6%), Gambia (8.6%), Botswana (8.7%), and Guinea-Bissau (9.8%) all fall below the 10% mark. Yet countries like South Africa (44.7%), Senegal (41.2%), and Mozambique (39.2%) have made strong showings, proving that meaningful progress is possible across diverse regions and political systems.
