By ABUJAH RACHEAL

Nigeria scored zero out of 100 on supportive parenthood policies in the 2026 Women, Business and the Law report released by the World Bank Group.

The development highlights major gaps in the enforcement of gender equality laws.

Mrs Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The report shows that while Nigeria scored 50 out of 100 on the adequacy of legal frameworks promoting gender equality, it recorded only 21.7 out of 100 on the policies, budgetary provisions and institutional mechanisms required to implement the laws effectively.

The report also showed that globally, only four per cent of women live in economies that provide near full legal equality.

Though the average country scored 67 out of 100 on legal provisions for women’s economic participation, enforcement dropped significantly when implementation systems were assessed.

According to Ewang, the data is clear. Our legal progress is being severely undermined by a lack of institutional support reflected in our zero score on parenthood policies.

“To scale women in business, management and public service, we must urgently bridge this implementation gap.”

The report noted that Nigeria lacked federal laws mandating at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, paid paternity leave, or explicit legal protections against the dismissal of pregnant workers.

It also highlighted the absence of structured financial support mechanisms or government-backed childcare systems to help women remain in the workforce.

Less than half of the 190 economies assessed globally provide financial support for families. In Nigeria, the absence of tax incentives, childcare subsidies or government-administered childcare support further constrains women’s labour force participation.

The report also pointed to restrictive provisions in Nigeria’s Labour Act, particularly Sections 55, 56 and 57, which limit women’s employment in certain industrial jobs and night work.

It noted that the absence of explicit legal mandates guaranteeing equal remuneration for work of equal value contributes to persistent wage disparities.

Nigeria’s gender equality landscape varies significantly across states.

States such as Lagos state and Oyo, were cited as leading in legal gender equality frameworks, with Lagos operating specialised family courts and services for survivors of gender-based violence.

However, states such as Bauchi and Kano were identified as having wider gaps, with some northern states scoring as low as 25 out of 100 in legal frameworks affecting women’s marital and inheritance rights.

In spite of the passage of the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the report stated that supportive systems for women’s safety remained underfunded, limiting effective enforcement.

Ewang urged policymakers and private sector leaders to move beyond performative pronouncements and adopt concrete family-friendly policies, including a minimum 16-week fully paid maternity leave, 14-day paid paternity leave, and robust childcare infrastructure.

“With one of the world’s largest youth populations entering the workforce over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people, half of them girls, closing Nigeria’s implementation gap is critical.

“Without it, empowering women remains an illusion and economic growth will be constrained,” she said.

NAN report that analysts said establishing clear institutional mechanisms, updating parental leave policies, and expanding access to childcare services would be critical to ensuring that gender equality translates from legislation into measurable economic gains.

Meanwhile, Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics, World Bank Group, said that while many countries appeared progressive on paper, weak enforcement continued to undermine economic growth potential.

“On paper, most countries are doing reasonably well. But when it comes to enforcing the laws, the average score drops significantly. These numbers reflect huge opportunity gaps,” Gill said. (NAN)

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