DƆNÙESÈ Data Center / Women’s Rights Laws by Country / Nigeria
West Africa · Country law profile
Nigeria: women’s rights and civic space laws
At a glance
| Capital | Abuja |
|---|
Key indicators
4.2% (15 of 356)Women in House of Representatives (2026)
Regional and international treaties
| Treaty | Status | Reservations or notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maputo Protocol | signed 16/12/2003; ratified 16/12/2004; deposited 18/02/2005 | |
| CEDAW | signed 23/04/1984; ratified 13/06/1985 | |
| CEDAW Optional Protocol | signed 08/09/2000; ratified 22/11/2004 | |
| African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child | signed 13/07/1999; ratified 23/07/2001; deposited 02/05/2003 | |
| ICCPR | accession 29/07/1993 | |
| Kampala Convention | signed 23/10/2009; ratified 17/04/2012; deposited 22/05/2012 | |
| AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo) | signed 23/01/2024; not ratified | |
| ILO C190 Violence and Harassment Convention | ratified 08/11/2022 |
National laws
Gender-based and domestic violence
Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015
Covers spousal battery, forced eviction from the home, abandonment of dependants, emotional violence, verbal violence and economic violence. It provides for protection orders and victim compensation. It also provides for a sexual offenders register.
Gaps: The Act applies directly only in the Federal Capital Territory, and each state must adopt it separately.
Source: thebrainbuilders.org
Rape and sexual offences
Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015
Broadens the definition of rape to cover oral and anal penetration. It also covers penetration with other body parts and recognises male victims.
Source: thebrainbuilders.org
Rape and sexual offences
Criminal Code Act and Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act, 1960
These codes contain the general rape offences applied in the states.
Gaps: Neither code criminalises marital rape, and the CEDAW Committee urged Nigeria in 2025 to criminalise it across all 36 states.
Source: un.org
Sexual harassment
Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, section 264
The World Bank records this provision as the legal basis against sexual harassment in its assessment, which covers Lagos.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Female genital mutilation
Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015
Lists female genital mutilation among the harmful traditional practices it prohibits.
Gaps: The ban applies in each state only once the state has domesticated the Act.
Source: thebrainbuilders.org
Child marriage and age of marriage
Child’s Rights Act, 2003, section 21
Sets 18 as the minimum age of marriage and prohibits child marriage.
Gaps: Several northern states, including Adamawa and Bauchi, had not domesticated it by 2025, and section 61 of the Constitution keeps Islamic and customary marriages outside federal jurisdiction.
Source: un.org
Harmful practices
Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015
Prohibits harmful traditional practices, including forced marriage and the denial of succession rights.
Source: thebrainbuilders.org
Family and personal status
Marriage Act
Governs statutory marriage, which does not recognise polygamous unions.
Gaps: Customary and Islamic law permit polygamy, which leaves an inconsistent legal framework for marriage.
Source: un.org
Family and personal status
Matrimonial Causes Act, Cap. 220, section 15
The World Bank records equal rights for women and men to obtain a divorce in statutory marriages.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Inheritance and succession
Administration of Estates Law of Lagos State, section 50
The World Bank records equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters and for surviving spouses under this law.
Gaps: The assessment covers Lagos State only.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Land and property
Land Use Act
Formally gives women and men equal access to land.
Gaps: Patrilineal inheritance practices persist, and women own only a small share of land, estimated at 4 to 10 per cent depending on the region.
Source: unwomen.org
Land and property
Married Women’s Property Act, sections 1, 2 and 5
The World Bank records equal property ownership rights for married women and men under these sections.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Abortion and sexual and reproductive health
Criminal Code Act, Cap. 77, sections 228 to 230; Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act, Cap. 345, sections 232 to 236
Both codes allow abortion only to save the woman’s life. Under the Criminal Code a woman who attempts her own abortion faces seven years’ imprisonment.
Gaps: In June 2025 the Federal High Court in Abuja recognised that pregnancy resulting from rape or incest harms women’s physical and mental health, though the codes were not changed.
Source: reproductiverights.org
Girls’ education
Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004
Provides for free and compulsory basic education.
Gaps: The national review reported a primary school dropout rate of about 30 per cent with large regional disparities.
Source: unwomen.org
Political participation and quotas
Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (not enacted)
The Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill has not been passed into law.
Gaps: In March 2022 the National Assembly voted against five gender equality bills.
Source: amnesty.org
Labour and maternity
Labour Act, section 54(1)
Regulates maternity leave for workers covered by the Act.
Gaps: According to the World Bank, it does not guarantee 14 weeks of paid maternity leave and does not prohibit the dismissal of pregnant workers.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Social protection
Pension Reform Act, 2014, section 7
Sets the same retirement age for women and men.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Nationality
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, sections 25 and 26(2)
Sets the rules on citizenship by birth and by registration.
Gaps: The World Bank finds that women do not have the same rights as men to confer citizenship.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Trafficking
Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015
Defines trafficking offences and provides the basis for prosecutions led by the national anti-trafficking agency NAPTIP.
Gaps: The CEDAW Committee found gaps in protecting abducted women and girls from trafficking.
Source: un.org
Online violence and cybercrime
Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024
Sets the framework for cybercrime offences, including unauthorised interception of electronic communications.
Gaps: Civil society monitors report that the law is increasingly used against critics through defamation and cyberbullying charges.
Source: icnl.org
Data protection
Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023
Signed on 13 June 2023, it protects personal data and creates the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, with breach notification within 72 hours.
Source: dlapiperdataprotection.com
Women and girls with disabilities
Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018
Signed in January 2019, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and punishes violations with fines and prison terms. It also creates a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and gave five years to make public buildings and vehicles accessible.
Source: hrw.org
Human rights defenders
Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, Part F
Governs the registration of civil society organisations as incorporated trustees and allows the suspension of their trustees.
Gaps: A Foreign Aid (Regulation, Coordination, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 would add disclosure and reporting duties for NGOs receiving foreign funds.
Source: icnl.org
Vulnerable Groups
Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013
Bans same-sex marriage and punishes support for LGBTI rights with up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Gaps: Amnesty International says it restricts the freedoms of expression and association, including assembly.
Source: amnesty.org
Access to justice and legal aid
Legal Aid Act, 2011
Governs the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
Source: grassrootsjusticenetwork.org
Older persons
National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2017 (Act No. 24, assented 24 January 2018)
Sets up the National Senior Citizens Centre to provide for the needs of older persons. An Older Persons Rights Bill was heard in the House of Representatives in November 2025.
Gaps: The Act creates an institution but does not set out the rights of older persons.
Source: archive.gazettes.africa
Complete. All 23 topics are documented on this page. Corrections and documents are welcome at programs@rflgd.org.
African Union treaties
Status of 29 African Union treaties as recorded in the official AU status lists published by the African Union Commission. The date of each list is shown: a ratification deposited after that date may not appear yet. 10 of the 13 human rights and governance treaties below are ratified.
Other AU treaties (16)
Sources (15)
- au.int · 37077 sl PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEO…
- treaties.un.org · iv 8 b.en
- au.int · 36804 sl AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE…
- treaties.un.org · IV 4.en
- au.int · 36846 sl AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION AND …
- au.int · 29560 sl AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION ON CYBER SECURITY AND P…
- thebrainbuilders.org · Fact sheet on the VAPP Act, 2024
- un.org · CEDAW inquiry report on Nigeria (CEDAW/C/NGA/IR/1), 2025
- wbl.worldbank.org · Women, Business and the Law 2024 (2.0) Nigeria profile
- unwomen.org · Nigeria Beijing+25 national review
- reproductiverights.org · Center for Reproductive Rights: Nigeria’s abortion provisions
- amnesty.org · Amnesty International UPR submission on Nigeria, July 2023
- icnl.org · ICNL Civic Freedom Monitor: Nigeria, September 2026
- dlapiperdataprotection.com · DLA Piper Data Protection Laws of the World: Nigeria
- hrw.org · Human Rights Watch, January 2019
Other countries in West Africa
BeninCountry law profileBurkina FasoCountry law profileCabo VerdeCountry law profileCôte d’IvoireCountry law profileGhanaCountry law profileGuineaCountry law profileGuinea-BissauCountry law profileLiberiaCountry law profileMaliCountry law profileNigerCountry law profileSenegalCountry law profileSierra LeoneCountry law profileThe GambiaCountry law profileTogoCountry law profile
Information verified as of October 2026. This page is for information and advocacy and is not legal advice. Laws change: check the official text before relying on it. Part of the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center of the Women Leaders Network for Development (RFLD). See also the Maputo Protocol Hub and the Maputo Barometer.
For funders and partnersPour les bailleurs et les partenaires
Fund the women who defend rights in Africa, nowFinancez maintenant les femmes qui défendent les droits en Afrique
Aid to women’s organisations is falling. RFLD moves funding fast to women-led organisations and defenders, in French and English, through a network of 1,143 member organisations in more than 35 African countries.L’aide aux organisations de femmes recule. Le RFLD achemine vite les financements vers les organisations de femmes et les défenseures, en français et en anglais, grâce à un réseau de 1 143 organisations membres dans plus de 35 pays africains.
RFLD currently serves as Co-Chair of the SEA-T Programme Advisory Council, mandated to ensure the programme’s direction, priorities, and resources are meaningfully aligned with the visions of African women-led civil society. The SEA-T Programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.Le RFLD assure actuellement la coprésidence du Conseil consultatif du programme SEA-T, chargé de veiller à ce que l’orientation, les priorités et les ressources du programme soient réellement alignées sur les visions de la société civile africaine portée par les femmes. Le programme SEA-T est financé par le ministère fédéral allemand de la Coopération économique et du Développement (BMZ) et mis en œuvre par la Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. See the partnershipVoir le partenariat
- 1,143member organisationsorganisations membres
- 35+African countriespays africains
- N°553ACHPR observer statusstatut d’observateur CADHP
- CandidSeal of Transparency 2025Sceau de transparence 2025
DonateFaire un don Partner with RFLDDevenir partenaire See our financialsVoir nos états financiers