Key Takeaways
- Rwanda leads the world, with over 60% of parliamentary seats held by women since 2015.
- Botswana and Nigeria are declining, with long-term negative growth in representation.
- The global average sits around 27%, meaning most countries still lean heavily male.
- Progress isn’t linear some nations are accelerating, others are quietly regressing.
Who runs the world…maybe still men
March 8th was International Women’s Day! To celebrate that, we wanted to take a look at the African nations where women are in the driver’s seat of the nation.
- Not in headlines
- Not in campaigns.
- But in parliament, where decisions are made
That’s right, we are ranking African nations by the number of seats women hold in their parliament.
Globally, women hold about 27% of parliamentary seats. And that is progress! But let’s be honest, we’re still a long way away from balance. But when you zoom into africa, the story gets a bit more interesting.
Rwanda leads the world
Rwanda doesn’t just lead Africa, it leads the world when it comes to women in power. That’s right, since 2010 Rwanda has led the world with over 50% of seats in parliament being held by women and since 2015 the number has been over 60% (check out the race chart).
These are not just trends, it represents a structural and cultural shift that the nation has been endeavouring to rebuild after past traumas. Let’s not just stop at Rwanda though, let’s take a look at our top 10:
| Region | Country | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Africa | Algeria | 3.2% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 31.6% | 25.8% | 8.1% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% |
| Southern Africa | Angola | 15.5% | 15.0% | 38.6% | 36.8% | 30.0% | 29.6% | 33.6% | 38.6% | 39.1% |
| West Africa | Benin | 6.0% | 7.2% | 10.8% | 8.4% | 7.2% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 26.6% | 26.6% |
| Southern Africa | Botswana | 17.0% | 11.1% | 7.9% | 9.5% | 10.8% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 8.7% |
| West Africa | Burkina Faso | 8.1% | 11.7% | 15.3% | 13.3% | 13.4% | 6.3% | 16.9% | 16.9% | 18.3% |
| East Africa | Burundi | 6.0% | 18.4% | 31.4% | 30.5% | 36.4% | 38.2% | 38.2% | 38.2% | 38.2% |
| Central Africa | Cameroon | 11.1% | 11.1% | 18.1% | 20.8% | 25.0% | 38.9% | 41.7% | 38.9% | 44.4% |
| West Africa | Cape Verde | 5.6% | 8.9% | 13.9% | 31.1% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 33.9% | 33.9% | 33.9% |
| Central Africa | Central African Republic | 7.3% | 0.0% | 9.6% | 0.0% | 8.6% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| Central Africa | Chad | 2.4% | 6.5% | 5.2% | 14.9% | 15.4% | 31.2% | 25.9% | 26.4% | 34.0% |
| East Africa | Comoros | 0.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 16.7% | 16.7% | 16.7% | 16.7% |
| East Africa | Djibouti | 12.0% | 8.5% | 7.3% | 7.4% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| Central Africa | DR Congo | 0.0% | 10.8% | 13.8% | 12.7% | 26.2% | 26.2% | 26.2% | 26.2% | 26.2% |
| North Africa | Egypt | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15.1% | 27.7% | 27.5% | 27.7% | 27.7% |
| Central Africa | Equatorial Guniea | 5.0% | 18.0% | 10.0% | 24.0% | 21.0% | 22.0% | 31.0% | 32.0% | 31.0% |
| East Africa | Eritrea | 14.7% | 22.0% | 22.0% | 22.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Southern Africa | Eswatini | 3.1% | 10.8% | 13.6% | 6.2% | 9.6% | 12.2% | 14.9% | 21.6% | 21.6% |
| East Africa | Ethiopia | 2.0% | 7.7% | 21.9% | 27.8% | 38.8% | 41.5% | 41.3% | 41.3% | 41.9% |
| Central Africa | Gabon | 8.3% | 9.2% | 14.7% | 14.2% | 14.8% | 15.4% | 14.7% | 25.5% | 25.5% |
| West Africa | Gambia | 2.0% | 13.2% | 7.5% | 9.4% | 8.6% | 10.3% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% |
| West Africa | Ghana | 9.0% | 10.9% | 8.3% | 10.9% | 13.1% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| West Africa | Guinea | 8.8% | 19.3% | 0.0% | 21.9% | 22.8% | 29.6% | 29.6% | 29.6% | 29.6% |
| West Africa | Guinea-Bissau | 7.8% | 14.0% | 10.0% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 9.8% | 9.8% |
| West Africa | Ivory Coast | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 9.2% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 13.7% | 13.4% | 13.4% |
| East Africa | Kenya | 3.6% | 7.1% | 9.8% | 19.7% | 21.8% | 21.4% | 23.3% | 23.3% | 23.3% |
| Southern Africa | Lesotho | 3.8% | 11.7% | 24.2% | 26.7% | 23.3% | 24.4% | 26.5% | 25.0% | 25.0% |
| West Africa | Liberia | 7.8% | 5.3% | 12.5% | 11.0% | 12.3% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 11.0% |
| North Africa | Libya | 0.0% | 0.0% | 7.7% | 16.0% | 16.0% | 16.5% | 16.5% | 16.5% | 16.5% |
| Southern Africa | Madagascar | 8.0% | 6.9% | 0.0% | 20.5% | 15.9% | 18.5% | 18.5% | 18.5% | 14.1% |
| Southern Africa | Malawi | 8.3% | 14.0% | 20.8% | 16.7% | 22.9% | 22.9% | 20.7% | 20.7% | 20.7% |
| West Africa | Mali | 12.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 26.5% | 28.6% | 28.6% | 30.4% |
| West Africa | Mauritania | 3.8% | 3.7% | 22.1% | 25.2% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 23.3% | 23.3% |
| Southern Africa | Mauritius | 7.6% | 5.7% | 17.1% | 11.6% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 17.9% |
| North Africa | Morocco | 0.6% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 17.0% | 20.5% | 24.1% | 24.3% | 24.3% | 24.3% |
| Southern Africa | Mozambique | 30.0% | 34.8% | 39.2% | 39.6% | 41.2% | 42.4% | 43.2% | 43.2% | 39.2% |
| Southern Africa | Namibia | 22.2% | 25.0% | 26.9% | 41.3% | 42.7% | 44.2% | 44.2% | 44.2% | 40.6% |
| West Africa | Niger | 1.2% | 12.4% | 9.7% | 13.3% | 17.0% | 25.9% | 30.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| West Africa | Nigeria | 0.0% | 4.7% | 7.0% | 6.7% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Central Africa | Republic of the Congo | 12.0% | 8.5% | 7.3% | 7.4% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| East Africa | Rwanda | 17.1% | 48.8% | 56.3% | 63.8% | 61.3% | 61.3% | 61.3% | 61.3% | 63.8% |
| Central Africa | São Tomé and Príncipe | 9.1% | 9.1% | 7.3% | 18.2% | 14.6% | 23.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| West Africa | Senegal | 12.1% | 19.2% | 22.7% | 42.7% | 43.0% | 42.7% | 46.1% | 46.1% | 41.2% |
| East Africa | Seychelles | 23.5% | 29.4% | 23.5% | 43.8% | 21.2% | 22.9% | 22.9% | 20.6% | 28.6% |
| West Africa | Sierra Leone | 8.8% | 14.5% | 13.2% | 12.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 13.0% | 29.5% | 29.5% |
| East Africa | Somalia | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6.9% | 13.8% | 24.4% | 24.4% | 19.7% | 19.6% | 19.0% |
| Southern Africa | South Africa | 30.0% | 32.8% | 44.5% | 41.5% | 46.4% | 46.7% | 46.3% | 46.0% | 44.6% |
| East Africa | South Sudan | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 26.5% | 28.5% | 32.4% | 32.4% | 32.4% | 32.4% |
| East Africa | Sudan | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 24.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| East Africa | Tanzania | 22.2% | 21.4% | 30.7% | 36.0% | 36.9% | 36.9% | 37.4% | 37.4% | 37.8% |
| West Africa | Togo | 4.9% | 6.2% | 11.1% | 17.6% | 18.7% | 18.7% | 19.8% | 18.9% | 15.0% |
| North Africa | Tunisia | 11.5% | 22.8% | 27.6% | 31.3% | 24.9% | 26.3% | 0.0% | 15.7% | 15.8% |
| East Africa | Uganda | 17.9% | 23.9% | 31.5% | 35.0% | 34.9% | 33.8% | 33.8% | 33.9% | 34.1% |
| Southern Africa | Zambia | 10.1% | 12.0% | 14.0% | 12.7% | 16.8% | 15.1% | 15.0% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Southern Africa | Zimbabwe | 14.0% | 10.0% | 15.0% | 31.5% | 31.9% | 30.6% | 30.6% | 28.9% | 30.1% |
The Surprising Decline: Nigeria & Botswana
If we are honest, not every story is one of growth and progress. Two countries stand out and not in the best way:
- Nigeria: declining at roughly -0.93% per year
- Botswana: declining even faster at -2.6% per year
Worse than stagnation this shows a reversal. Over a few years that doesn’t sound that bad, but if it goes over 20 years it becomes a symptom of something much larger…a shrinking voice.
There Is No Single Story
When it comes to issues of development, a lot of voices like to clump the continent into one. One trend, one story, one outcome that everyone is leading to. But the reality is very different! There are multiple stories all over the continent. Whilst Rwanda remains having the highest overall numbers of women in seats Morocco and Niger show the highest rates of increase over time. South Africa is ranked on the of highest in the continent yet it has one of the slowest rates of changes
Why This Data Matters
To some extent, as with everything, this article is just another snapshot of a single frame in the film of development happening over the continent. But representation as topic is not just symbolic or part of the hype, it influences:
- Policy priorities
- Education outcomes
- Healthcare access
- Economic participation
And so many others! It’s not just about who sits in parliament. It’s about
Who gets considered when decisions are made
Data Notes
- Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
- Source: UN Statistics Division Database
- Metric: % of seats held by women in national parliaments
- Years: 2000 – 2005