Precious Obogo
The legal profession in Nigeria—particularly within the public sector—plays a pivotal role in upholding justice and democracy. Yet, gender equity at the top remains elusive. Women continue to be significantly underrepresented in legal and policymaking leadership roles.
As of 2025:
● Only 4 out of 13 Attorney General positions across the country are held by women.
● Only 4 of 109 seats in the Nigerian Senate are occupied by women.
● Only 3 justices on the Supreme Court bench are female.
This imbalance persists even though women make up 49.4% of the entire population of Nigeria.
A recent April 2025 woman in the law mentoring program needs assessment conducted by WISCAR (Women in Successful Careers in collaboration with FIDA and facilitated by its consultant- Habiba Balogun) across Nigeria, including the FCT, revealed deep-rooted cultural, institutional, and structural barriers hindering women’s progress in the legal and lawmaking professions.
● Cultural barriers include damaging stereotypes and frequent microaggressions in the workplace.
● Institutional biases appear in discriminatory hiring and promotion practices.
● Structural challenges involve inadequate childcare support and limited access to professional networks.
Chief among the gaps identified is the lack of mentorship, a critical factor in limiting women’s career progression.
Introducing the Women in Law Mentoring Programme (WILMP)
To bridge these gaps, WISCAR—Nigeria’s leading non-profit focused on developing professional women—has launched the Women in Law Mentoring Programme (WILMP). Applications are now open for this six-month, fully-funded mentorship initiative (powered by the Gates Foundation) and designed to support early- to mid-career female legal professionals and aspiring female lawmakers in Nigeria’s public sector.
WILMP is aimed at strengthening female representation in the legal and policymaking space. Through structured one-on-one mentorship, leadership training, and strategic networking, the programme will equip up to 300 women with the tools they need to lead and thrive in their careers.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be:
● Women aged 25–45
● With 4 to 10 years of experience in:
○ The Judiciary
○ Legislative arm
○ Executive arm
○ Private legal practice
● Based in Lagos, Abuja, or Kano
Programme Benefits
Participants will gain:
● One-on-one mentorship from senior legal and policy leaders
● Practical, immersive training tailored to the Nigerian public sector
● Access to a powerful network of legal professionals and mentors
● Strategic leadership development sessions
● A lifelong support community committed to advancing women in law and policy
A Vision for the Future
WISCAR’s vision is bold: by 2027, they aim for women to occupy at least 35% of key legal and policymaking positions, including Attorney General offices, the Senate, Supreme Court, and the House of Representatives.
The Women in Law Mentoring Programme is a crucial step toward achieving this goal—building a sustainable pipeline of skilled, confident, and empowered female leaders ready to shape Nigeria’s legal future.
Application Deadline: June 4th, 2025