There are fresh calls for data-driven reforms and true power shift ahead of Africa Soft Power Summit…
According to a new report by African Women on Board (AWB), significant gender ddisparities has been spotted in Nigeria’s health sector leadership.
The report was previewed at a high-level roundtable in Lagos, drawing insights from senior health professionals, policymakers, and sector leaders.
Despite women constituting the majority of frontline healthcare workers in Nigeria, the report shows they remain largely absent from boardrooms and key leadership roles.
AWB described this imbalance as not just an issue of equity but one that undermines the resilience and inclusivity of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“Women remain underrepresented at the leadership table despite being the backbone of healthcare in Nigeria. To build a resilient and inclusive system, we must address the gap with deliberate policies and institutional reforms,” the statement read.
Dr Nkiru Balonwu, Founder of AWB and Africa Soft Power, emphasized that inclusive leadership is key to navigating current societal challenges. “To maximise our outcomes, we need to hear from the full spectrum of today’s and tomorrow’s leaders,” she said, ahead of the Remarkable Women’s Leadership Conference in Nairobi this May, where the full report will be unveiled.
Audrey Odogu, Senior Manager at eHealth Africa, pointed to the power of data in shaping policy: “Gender equity is rooted in data. Without data, we can’t make informed decisions.”
Experts at the event cautioned that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms trained on biased data risk amplifying inequality, especially if they fail to represent African women’s lived healthcare experiences.
Meanwhile, Dr Olayemi Dawodu, Managing Director of Cerba Lancet Nigeria, advocated for structured mentorship, leadership training, and economic empowerment to break systemic barriers. “If a woman can achieve financial independence, she can escape situations like violence or other challenges,” she said.
Also, the media strategist and Chief of Staff at BellaNaija, Mary Edoro, added that the framing of women’s empowerment needs a shift. “Let’s move beyond ‘empowering women,’ which often implies permission, to placing women in actual positions of power,” she stated, stressing the need for women in executive and elected roles.
AWB’s new report signals a growing momentum behind the call to not only recognise women’s contributions to healthcare but to ensure they lead in shaping its future.
