By Ayoade Ishola
A new campaign, ‘Fair Start’, has urged Nigerian employers to take bold, measurable steps to close the gender gap and dismantle systemic barriers in the workplace.
Launched on Africa’s Women’s Day in Lagos’ financial district, the campaign featured a bicycle-powered storytelling activation and is amplified online through #LevelTheField.
Christinah Akintoye, Narrative Practice Lead at Gatefield, in a statement said that the campaign showcased prominent Nigerian professionals and business leaders, spotlighting the persistent exclusion of women from entry-level roles to the executive suite.
Despite a decade of gender inclusion pledges, progress has stalled.
Insights from the McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2025 report reveal:
Only 1 in 3 entry-level roles in Nigeria’s formal private sector is held by a woman. Women who rise to senior roles are 30% more likely to exit within a year, often due to lack of support and rigid workplace policies.
While 77% of CEOs cite gender equity as a priority, only 33% of companies track promotion data by gender.
Grounded in evidence and backed by a coalition of validators, Fair Start outlines five clear actions for employers:
Hire more women, especially into entry- and mid-level roles to strengthen leadership pipelines.
Build structured promotion pathways with mentorship, sponsorship, and transparent advancement criteria.
Track gender-disaggregated data on hiring, promotions, and exits—and act on the findings.
Design inclusive workplaces with caregiver-friendly and flexible policies.
Make leadership accountable by linking gender equity to performance reviews and executive KPIs.
“We created Fair Start to show what’s possible when equity is embedded by design, not added on as an afterthought. This is an invitation to employers to lead boldly, measure what matters, and unlock the full value of talent,” Akintoye said.
The campaign developed by Gatefield, a public strategy and advocacy firm advancing equity through narrative, policy, and systems change, is powered by validator voices, public pledges, and digital momentum.
The Lagos activation invited employers in Nigeria’s corporate capital to make public commitments, while social media and validator call-out videos continue to drive engagement nationwide. Employers ready to act can visit fairstart.gatefield.co to take a pledge.
Mayowa Kuyoro, Partner at McKinsey & Company Nigeria said: “One of the things that we need to do in our corporate workplaces in Nigeria is to build systems that help to retain women.”
Also, Amina Oyagbola, Board Chair, Afrobarometer said: “We know what works, now we need leadership. Track gender outcomes, publish the data, [and] build systems that include, rather than exclude.”
Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director at Nigeria Health Watch said: “The evidence is clear. Policies alone do not level the field. Systems do. We need to build systems that track gender data from entry level to executive roles.”
Fola Olatunji-David, Partner, KickOff Africa said: “Women aren’t just missing at the top, they are being filtered out before they even get the chance.”
