Nigeria Faces Crisis: Activists Demand Urgent Action to Combat Gender-Based Violence

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Gender-Based Violence Alarms Nigeria, Activists Demand State of Emergency

Surge in Femicides

Approximately 19 women have faced fatal violence due to gender-based issues in Nigeria in 2025, as reported by activists and civil society organizations. According to the Femicide Observatory operated by Document Our History (DOHS) Cares Foundation, January witnessed a troubling 17 femicides, a 240% increase compared to the same period in 2024, with additional cases reported in February. Over 100 femicides were documented in 2024.

Culture of Impunity

Ololade Ajayi, founder of DOHS, laments that Nigeria presents a dangerous environment for women and girls, with perpetrators operating with relative impunity due to inadequate consequences for their actions. She emphasizes, "Home is the most dangerous place for Nigerian women and girls, just as it is globally."

Role of Misogyny and Lax Laws

Activists hold misogynistic online content accountable for the escalating violence. They point to weak legislation and a lack of effective prosecution in Nigeria, creating an enabling environment for such crimes.

Data Discrepancies

Chioma Agwuegbo, executive director of TechHerNG, highlights the limitations of available data, suggesting that official statistics fall short in capturing the true extent of violence experienced by women and girls. She explains, "The numbers cited by civil society organizations represent only a fraction of the violence occurring because of poor inter-agency documentation and a lack of trust in the system."

Legislative Inaction

DOHS Cares has submitted a draft bill to parliament aimed at addressing femicide, which remains largely disregarded.

National Dashboard and Committee

A national dashboard was established in 2020 as part of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to provide comprehensive data on gender-based violence. However, the effectiveness of the dashboard remains in question, as well as the number of perpetrators prosecuted.

Inter-Ministerial Committee

An inter-ministerial committee was also formed to address gender-based violence. However, according to Agwuegbo, the committee convened infrequently.

Benin City Tragedy

Agwuegbo recalls the tragic case of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, who was raped and murdered in her church in 2020. Despite the arrest of the accused perpetrators, they escaped during a prison break, leaving the community in a state of outrage and concern.