Nigeria Scores Zero on Parenthood Policies in World Bank’s 2026 Gender Report

Nigeria has scored zero out of 100 on supportive parenthood policies in the 2026 Women, Business and the Law report released by the World Bank Group, underscoring deep gaps in the country’s enforcement of gender equality laws.

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

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

According to the report, only four per cent of women globally live in economies that provide near-full legal equality. Although the average country scored 67 out of 100 on legal provisions supporting women’s economic participation, enforcement scores dropped significantly when implementation systems were assessed.

Ewang said Nigeria’s legal progress was being undermined by weak institutional backing, as reflected in its zero score on parenthood policies.

“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,” she said.

The report noted that Nigeria lacks 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 and government-backed childcare systems to enable women remain in the workforce.

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

The report also flagged restrictive provisions in Nigeria’s Labour Act, particularly Sections 55, 56 and 57, which limit women’s employment in certain industrial roles and night work. It added that the absence of explicit legal guarantees for equal remuneration for work of equal value contributes to persistent wage disparities.

Across states, Nigeria’s gender equality landscape varies significantly. Lagos and Oyo states were cited as leaders 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 on legal frameworks affecting women’s marital and inheritance rights.

Despite the passage of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the report said supportive systems for women’s safety remain underfunded, limiting effective enforcement.

Ewang urged policymakers and private sector leaders to adopt concrete family-friendly measures, including a minimum of 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.

Meanwhile, Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics at the World Bank Group, said weak enforcement continues to undermine economic growth potential globally.

“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.

Analysts noted that establishing clear institutional mechanisms, updating parental leave policies, and expanding access to childcare services would be key to translating gender equality laws into measurable economic gains.