The Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) has launched a multi-pronged initiative to address the glaring gender disparity within Nigeria’s legal profession. A recent report by the International Bar Association revealed that while women constitute approximately 40% of lawyers in Nigeria, their representation in senior roles lags significantly. The public sector boasts the highest representation of women in leadership positions at 61%, followed by the corporate sector at 55%. However, within law firms, only 43% of senior roles are held by women, a figure dwarfed by the even more dismal 33% in the judiciary. Most alarmingly, a mere 4% of the prestigious Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are women. WIMBIZ has recognized this imbalance and has committed its 2025 focus to empowering women in law, aiming to bridge this gap and create a more inclusive legal landscape.
WIMBIZ’s approach encompasses a range of activities designed to sensitize and equip women lawyers, from aspiring graduates to seasoned professionals, with the tools and knowledge to achieve leadership positions. The organization conducted a webinar featuring prominent female justices and SANs, who shared their career journeys, highlighting the challenges they faced and the strategies they employed to overcome them. This provided invaluable insights and inspiration for aspiring female lawyers. Following the webinar, WIMBIZ convened a stakeholder session, bringing together judges, law firm partners, chief legal counsels, and senior advocates, both male and female, to dissect the barriers hindering women’s advancement and explore potential pathways to leadership. This collaborative dialogue generated valuable insights that have shaped WIMBIZ’s ongoing initiatives.
The insights gleaned from the stakeholder dialogue have been distilled into four key leadership pathways, forming the foundation of a comprehensive journal. This journal, accessible to law students and recent graduates, will serve as a practical guide, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and strategies to navigate their careers and aspire to leadership roles. This resource will be instrumental in empowering future generations of female lawyers to break through the existing barriers and contribute to a more balanced legal profession. WIMBIZ believes that by providing this roadmap for success, they can equip women with the tools and confidence to pursue leadership roles and ultimately transform the landscape of the legal profession.
A central component of WIMBIZ’s intervention is the Women in Law Mentoring Programme. This program utilizes a group mentoring format where registered participants are first sensitized to the four identified leadership pathways. Mentees then select the pathway that aligns with their aspirations and receive targeted mentorship to support their journey. The program culminates in the development of a personalized work plan, spanning five to ten years, outlining the steps each mentee will take to achieve her leadership goals. This structured approach provides practical support and fosters a sense of community among participants, encouraging them to support one another on their paths to leadership.
Beyond the legal profession, WIMBIZ is also addressing the issue of property ownership among women, recognizing it as another critical area of gender disparity. Through dedicated forums and sensitization campaigns, the organization is educating women about the processes involved in property acquisition and available savings and investment initiatives that can facilitate their journey to property ownership. This initiative aims to empower women economically and provide them with greater financial security. By empowering women in this crucial aspect of their lives, WIMBIZ is contributing to their overall well-being and financial independence.
WIMBIZ is not limiting its advocacy to women in law and property ownership. The organization’s broader commitment to addressing injustice is exemplified by their stance on the Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan case at the National Assembly. WIMBIZ has committed to monitoring the situation and intervening if necessary to ensure justice prevails. This demonstrates the organization’s proactive approach to tackling issues of inequality and their commitment to advocating for women’s rights in various spheres of society. Furthermore, WIMBIZ is actively addressing the misconception that promoting women in leadership is merely a token gesture. By highlighting data demonstrating the business and economic benefits of inclusion, the organization is challenging this flawed narrative and emphasizing the value that women bring to leadership roles. This data-driven approach serves to strengthen the argument for greater female representation in leadership positions, moving beyond mere rhetoric to demonstrate the tangible benefits of diversity and inclusion.
