Dataphyte releases ‘Gender in Nigeria report’, says there’s surge in GBV

Dataphyte, a research and analytics company, has released the Gender in Nigeria 2025 report, which says there’s a surge in gender-based violence and an urgent need for reform. 

In a statement on Friday, the organisation said as the global community advances toward gender equality, Nigeria continues to grapple with systemic issues hindering women’s empowerment.

The platform said recent events, including the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, following her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, underscore the entrenched challenges women face in Nigerian politics and society.

Dataphyte noted that the report marks the organisation’s fifth anniversary and offers a comprehensive analysis of the current state of gender equality in the country.

Adijat Kareem, the organisation’s head of policy research communications, said the report relies primarily on the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey of 2023-24, published by the National Population Commission.

“Additionally, we used relevant data from the 2022 Statistics Report on Women and Men in Nigeria and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2021, both published by the National Bureau of Statistics,” she said

“Our findings are presented through a comparative analysis of the 2018 and 2023 realities of gender issues in Nigeria, with the 2023-24 NDHS being the most recent Demographic and Health Survey conducted in the country.”

The report highlighted some key findings, including a surge in gender-based violence, systemic barriers to women’s economic empowerment, digital exclusion, limitations on health and reproductive rights, and child marriage and trafficking.

According to Dataphyte, the Gender in Nigeria 2025 report serves as a critical resource for policymakers, advocates, and development organisations striving toward sustainable development goals 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work and economic growth).

Joshua Olufemi, Dataphyte founder, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to inclusion.

“Five years ago, we committed to using data to push for a more inclusive society,” Olufemi said.

“As we unveil this latest report, we do so with the hope that these numbers will not remain the same in another five years. We believe that with strategic policy reforms and sustained advocacy, these statistics can change, and gender equity can move from aspiration to reality.”

He added that the report is not just for policymakers but also for civil society, the media, and every Nigerian invested in a future where gender no longer dictates access to education, economic opportunities, or personal autonomy.

Here is a link to the report.