A new report by global consulting firm McKinsey & Company has revealed that only 33 per cent of formal sector jobs in Nigeria are occupied by women, raising fresh concerns about gender inclusion in the country’s private sector. The findings, unveiled at the Africa CEO Forum 2025 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, highlight a persistent gender imbalance, particularly at the entry-level.
Mayowa Kuyoro, Partner at McKinsey and co-author of the report, explained in a statement that the low representation of women in formal employment is not primarily due to attrition at senior levels, but rather a barrier at the entry stage.
“The data tells a clear story: Nigeria’s leadership gap is rooted in the entry-level barrier,” the report said. “Once women are in the system, they advance steadily, but the path remains too narrow at the start. Only one in three entry-level formal sector roles are held by women, despite broader workforce participation.”
The report is based on data collected from 324 organisations across Nigeria, Kenya, and India, covering over 1.4 million employees. In Nigeria, women hold 33 per cent of entry-level positions, while their representation drops slightly to 29 per cent at both managerial and executive levels. This means that out of every 100 management or C-suite roles, only about 28 to 29 are held by women.
While women in senior roles are statistically more likely to be promoted than their male counterparts, Kuyoro noted that they also face higher rates of exits and lateral moves, which can disrupt upward mobility. She also pointed out that although many organisations have policies around safety, anti-bias, and workplace security, only a few firms adopt “high-impact” differentiator policies that actually drive real progress in gender equity.
“Policies and practices are correlated with better outcomes in women’s representation across India, Kenya, and Nigeria, but successfully implementing them is critical,” Kuyoro said.
The report urges business leaders to go beyond symbolic inclusion and actively rethink hiring practices and support structures to give women equal access to job opportunities at the foundational level.
