Women and youth inclusion: Is Tinubu’s government fulfilling its promises?
When President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, he pledged to prioritise women and youth inclusion, vowing to create millions of jobs in the digital economy and build a government grounded in empowerment and inclusivity. Two years on, how well has that promise translated into tangible outcomes for Nigerian women and young people? […]
women and youth
When President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, he pledged to prioritise women and youth inclusion, vowing to create millions of jobs in the digital economy and build a government grounded in empowerment and inclusivity.
Two years on, how well has that promise translated into tangible outcomes for Nigerian women and young people?
While the administration has made some gestures toward gender representation, it still falls short of meeting the 35 percent affirmative action target for women in governance. This benchmark, enshrined in Nigeria’s 2006 National Gender Policy and reflected in international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, remains unmet.
President Tinubu’s 48-member Federal Executive Council includes only seven women—just over 15 percent of the total. The appointments include Nkiru Onyejeocha (Labour and Employment), Doris Anite (Industry, Trade and Investment), Betta Edu (formerly in Humanitarian Affairs), Hannatu Musawa (Culture and Creative Economy), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (Police Affairs), Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye (Women Affairs), and Lola Ade-John (Tourism). Edu was suspended over alleged corruption and has yet to be replaced.
Though these women hold significant portfolios, critics argue the numbers fall far short of what is required to ensure inclusive governance.
“We are not where we should be,” said Dr Mufuliat Fijabi, Executive Director of the Sustainable Gender Action Initiative (SGAI). “Nigeria has not met the minimum benchmark of 35 percent women’s representation. This is the minimum threshold, not the ceiling.”
Dr Fijabi noted that the National Gender Policy advocates for equal representation in appointive positions, while the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—of which Nigeria is a signatory—calls for a minimum of 30 percent inclusion of women in political processes.
Women in appointive roles: Progress, but not enough
Beyond cabinet-level appointments, women have been included among presidential aides and in key public service positions. Out of 65 senior special and technical advisers to the president, 14 are women. These include Hadiza Bala Usman (Policy Coordination), Delu Bulus Yakubu (Citizen Engagement), Nkiruka Maduekwe (Climate Change), Rukaiya El-Rufai (Sustainable Development Goals), and Jumoke Oduwole (Investment).
Notable public service appointments include Prof. Moji Adeyeye as Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Kemi Nana Nandap as Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
However, civil society groups say the appointments do not reflect a systemic commitment to gender balance. According to ElectHER, a non-governmental organisation advocating for women’s political participation, the Tinubu administration has yet to demonstrate a genuine resolve to implement inclusive governance.
“Despite the promises, the gender composition of the Federal Executive Council—where women constitute just 18.75 per cent—reflects a gap between rhetoric and action,” the group stated in a midterm assessment report. It called for a constitutional framework to mandate gender quotas.
Youth appointments show some improvement
On youth inclusion, the administration has received a more favourable assessment. While not widespread, several appointees fall within the 30–45 age bracket, occupying key roles in ministries and agencies.
Among them are Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (Interior), Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Steel Development), Hannatu Musawa (Culture and Creative Economy), Doris Uzoka-Anite (Industry, Trade and Investment), Joseph Utsev (Water Resources), Ayodele Olawande (Minister of State for Youth Development), Zacchaeus Adedeji (Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service), Aminu Maida (Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission) and Khalil Halilu (CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure).
These appointments represent a shift toward generational inclusion, though analysts argue that youth participation must go beyond appointments to include policy influence and budgetary control.
“There are youth in the system, and that is commendable,” said Rotimi Olawale, Executive Director of Youthhub Africa. “But beyond titles, the test is whether they have the capacity and independence to influence governance meaningfully.”
Youth-focused policies: Mixed scorecard
In terms of programmes, the administration has launched several initiatives aimed at job creation and skills development for young Nigerians. Among them are the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, and the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
According to Olawale, the education loan scheme is one of the more impactful efforts so far.
“We’ve seen fewer students resorting to crowdfunding for school fees since the loan programme was launched,” he said. “If properly managed, this could be a game-changer.”
He added, however, that implementation challenges—such as late disbursement and lack of awareness—remain, especially in public institutions outside the urban centres.
Olawale also pointed to the 3MTT programme, which aims to develop technical skills in the digital economy. While still in its early stages, the initiative has the potential to address both youth unemployment and Nigeria’s growing demand for tech talent.
Another recent intervention is the launch of the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme, which targets tech startups and creative professionals with funding and mentorship. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed $170 million to the initiative.
“These interventions are promising, but what we lack is an overarching, up-to-date policy framework,” Olawale said.
One of the major gaps cited by youth advocates is the prolonged delay in updating the National Youth Policy, which expired in 2022. The document, which should guide youth development priorities, is yet to be reviewed or replaced, raising questions about strategic planning and inter-ministerial coordination.
“We’re running youth programmes without an updated compass,” said Olawale. “That’s not sustainable.”
He also criticised the delay in convening a promised National Youth Conference. In his first year, President Tinubu had announced the conference would take place in the first quarter of 2025. As of late May, the event has neither been scheduled nor widely publicised, though a national planning committee has been inaugurated.
Olawale urged the government to ensure that the conference is non-partisan and inclusive.
“It must provide a genuine platform for young Nigerians across political divides, socio-economic backgrounds, and geographical regions to contribute to national development. Otherwise, it risks becoming a political jamboree,” he warned.
The road ahead
Despite some progress, the Tinubu administration’s record on women and youth inclusion remains mixed. The appointment of young professionals to strategic roles and the launch of skills development initiatives indicate a shift toward inclusion, but gaps in gender representation and policy coherence continue to hinder broader progress.
Dr Fijabi called on the government to expedite the implementation of the National Gender Policy and ensure that all ministries, departments, and agencies adopt gender-responsive budgeting and planning.
“Government must go beyond tokenism,” she said. “We need institutional safeguards that make inclusion non-negotiable.”
As President Tinubu enters the second half of his term, the real test will be whether his administration can bridge the gap between promise and performance. For women and young Nigerians, the coming years will be critical in determining whether inclusive governance is finally realised—or once again deferred, especially when the president returns to them to seek reelection.