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33% Of Entry-Level Formal Jobs In Nigeria Held By Women – Report

Published

3 months ago

May 13, 2025

…explain why women’s representation remains low across Nigeria’s formal private sector

McKinsey & Company today released its latest Women in the Workplace report, extending its landmark research series to Kenya, Nigeria, and India for the first time. Launched at the Africa CEO Forum 2025 today—the continent’s largest private sector convening—the research sheds new light on the systemic barriers affecting women’s participation in the formal economies of Nigeria, India, and Kenya.

Drawing on data from 324 organizations across Nigeria, India, and Kenya employing roughly 1.4 million people, the research reveals that women hold just 33% of entry-level positions in the Nigerian formal private sector – signaling that the gender gap is wide at the point of entry. Once women enter the workforce, their representation remains relatively steady across the pipeline, with 29% of both managerial and C-suite positions held by women.

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“The data tells a clear story: Nigeria’s leadership gap is rooted in the entry-level barrier,” said Mayowa Kuyoro, Partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of the report. “Once women are in the system, they advance steadily, but the path remains too narrow at the start.”

Key findings for Nigeria:

Entry-level barrier: Only one in three entry-level formal sector roles are held by women, despite broader workforce participation.

Stable pipeline beyond entry: While women see a drop from entry-level to the managerial role (33% to 29%), women’s representation remains relatively consistent in the more senior ranks, with women holding approximately 28 to 29 out of every 100 roles from the manager to the C-suite level.

Senior women’s career fluidity: Senior women in Nigeria are more likely than men to be promoted but are also more likely to exit or make lateral moves.

Policies and practices are correlated with better outcomes in women’s representation across India, Kenya and Nigeria, but successfully implementing them is critical.

There is a set of baseline policies around safety and security and bias mitigation that are correlated with better outcomes for women that are already in place across a wide range of companies.

The report identified a set of differentiator policies that are not yet widely spread but are significantly more prevalent in better-performing companies on gender equity. Among better performing companies:

Flexible work options were 34% more likely to be present

Mentorship and sponsorship policies were 33% more likely to be present

Family and personal care policies were 23% more likely to be present

However, there were still a range of lower performing companies with many of the policies in place, highlighting the critical role of effective implementation.

• Moving from Commitment to Action
o While 77% of the organizations surveyed report gender diversity as a CEO priority, only 66% have in place basic tracking mechanisms – such as measuring hiring and promotion rates – and a mere 15% of boards hold accountability for gender equity.

• Three steps to kickstart progress for organizations
• The report proposes a three-part action plan – Diagnose, Design, Monitor – for Nigerian employers to foster progress:

1. Diagnose pipeline challenges through regular, disaggregated tracking of hiring, promotions, and attrition by gender.
2. Design: adopt, implement and evolve baseline and differentiator practices, with mentorship, sponsorship, and family care as priorities.

3. Monitor: Institutionalize tracking mechanisms and accountability at board and senior leadership levels to ensure gender equity is embedded in organizational performance.

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

12 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

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‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

12 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

12 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.