Addressing the Gender Bias: Positioning Nigeria’s Democracy for Good Governance and Sustainable Development

Democratic governance in sub-Saharan Africa has been hindered by institutional barriers and discrimination, manifesting in social and biological disparities. Politics ought to bring a balance between both genders in leadership and decision-making roles in society. Moreover, representation is biased, with a disproportional population of males to females. Arguably, politics is a game of numbers, but why does the Nigerian political system intentionally sideline women from equal participation in Nigerian political activities? The study identifies one gender as underrepresented in political leadership roles, where achieving gender parity and equal representation has not only posed a barrier to national integration but has also become a significant challenge to developing democracies, particularly in Nigeria, since the commencement of its Fourth Republic. This paper used qualitative methods, through content analysis and secondary data from journals, literature and documentaries to situate the underrepresentation of the female gender in many leadership positions. Consequently, this has deprived the female gender of unequal access to resources and power, a biased division of labour, and discrimination against women in terms of rights and advantages in the emerging democracy. Theoretically, feminism, gender and patriarchy were used to underscore the plague of misogyny rocking the Nigerian state, especially in governance and political spaces. Gender mainstreaming and the revolutionalisation of women's empowerment is crucial for greater political development in Nigeria. Conclusively, governance should be characterised by the active engagement of all citizens and women in decision-making. This calls for reorienting the developing democracy toward accountability, openness, and sound leadership for sustainable development.