A total of 25 women have been nominated to contest governorship positions across 15 Nigerian states ahead of the February 2027 elections, while 94 women have been selected as deputy governorship candidates.
The figures indicate that women remain underrepresented in the race for top executive positions, despite their participation in the nomination process across several political parties.
Data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that 21 of the 22 registered political parties have nominated a combined 119 women for governorship and deputy governorship positions. The nominations cover 936 governorship and deputy governorship candidacies.
Women are contesting for governorship in 15 states, while no female candidate appears on the lists for the other 13 states scheduled to hold elections on February 6, 2027.
The figures also show that 1,016 women are contesting seats in state Houses of Assembly out of a total of 10,020 candidates.
The numbers highlight the gap between women’s participation in elections and their representation in major political leadership positions. Although women have secured nominations for both governorship and deputy governorship roles, the number seeking to become state governors remains relatively small.
The 2027 governorship elections will take place in 28 states, with political parties preparing their candidates for the forthcoming contests.
