Only 33% of entry-level roles in Nigeria’s formal sector are held by women – McKinsey

Mayowa Kuyoro is a Partner at McKinsey & Company Nigeria, the Lagos office of the global management consulting firm. In this interview with BusinessDay’s Wasiu Alli, she discusses the firm’s new report, “Women in the Workplace,” which focuses on Kenya, Nigeria, and India. She highlights how low entry-level representation for women in Nigeria is constraining progress at higher levels of leadership and explores the measures needed to close the country’s gender representation gap—along with targeted actions that can drive meaningful change.

Let’s start with the headline number: only 33% of entry-level roles in Nigeria’s formal sector are held by women. Why is the gender gap so wide at the start, not just at the top?

The real bottleneck in Nigeria’s formal private sector is right at the beginning. Even though women make up half of the national workforce, they hold just one in three entry-level roles in formal employment. That’s a clear sign of systemic barriers at play, not just personal choices. Nigerian women face challenges rooted in social norms, hiring bias, and limited access to job networks. Many are navigating deep-seated beliefs about gender roles in the workplace. And because this exclusion starts early, it compounds over time, fewer women at entry means fewer in leadership, no matter how strong the pipeline later on.

Once women enter the workforce, McKinsey report finds that they advance relatively steadily. Can you explain why Nigeria’s leadership gap isn’t due to attrition, as it is in other countries?

What we see in Nigeria is that once women overcome the initial barriers to employment, their representation stays remarkably steady as they rise. Women hold 29 percent of roles from the manager level all the way to the C-suite. That consistency signals that, for those who make it into management, the path upward is not blocked by systemic barriers to the same extent. Several women we spoke with described fair and transparent promotion systems based on merit. The challenge is not attrition. The real issue is access. Too few women are breaking into the formal private sector to begin with, and that is what limits gender diversity at the top.

Your report highlights “differentiator policies” like flexible work and mentorship. What have you found to be the most effective interventions in high-performing companies?

Flexible work options can be a game changer, but only when it is done right. High-performing companies are not just offering flexible work options. They are making sure employees who use them are not sidelined or penalized. This means training managers to lead diverse work models effectively, assigning high-visibility projects fairly, and ensuring all employees, including those working remotely or on adjusted schedules, have access to the informal networks and information that shape career paths.

We found that in companies where more women took up flexible work options, promotion rates for women were actually higher. This challenges the idea that flexibility holds women back. When implemented thoughtfully, flexibility supports advancement rather than stagnation. It all comes down to shifting from presenteeism to a true focus on outcomes and merit.

Alongside flexibility, formal mentorship and sponsorship programs have clear impact. Our data shows that companies with formal mentorship policies were 33 percent more likely to be in the top quartile for women’s representation. The women we spoke to frequently cited company-supported mentorship and sponsorship as critical to their career progression. Manager training on how to sponsor women is also linked to higher retention rates across all levels. These programs create intentional support that helps women navigate challenges and access opportunities.

Read also: 65% of organisations now use Gen AI— McKinsey

While 77% of Nigerian CEOs say gender equity is a top priority, only 15% of boards are formally accountable. Where’s the disconnect?

We’ve identified a prioritization gap between intention and action when it comes to gender equity. Although more than three quarters of the CEOs of the three markets we surveyed recognize gender diversity as a strategic priority, many organizations are not yet tracking progress or holding leaders accountable for implementation. The disconnect often lies in how that priority translates into formal governance and accountability structures.

To close this gap, companies should consider integrating integrate gender equity into leadership performance metrics and board oversight, ensuring it becomes part of strategic decision-making rather than an after thought.

Are there particular sectors in Nigeria where progress is more visible or promising?

Progress varies across sectors in Nigeria, reflecting different challenges and opportunities for women. The financial sector, while starting with relatively strong female representation at entry levels, experiences the steepest decline as women seek to move into leadership roles, highlighting a ‘broken rung’ early in their careers. In healthcare, women begin on nearly equal footing with men, but face barriers especially at the senior manager level and in traditionally male-dominated specialties.

By contrast, the legal sector shows more consistent gender balance across levels, with women often benefiting from strong mentorship and sponsorship, supporting their advancement, but there is still ways to go for true parity across sectors. These sector-specific journeys underline the importance of tailored strategies that address the unique dynamics within each industry to accelerate women’s advancement.

The report proposes a “Diagnose, Design, Monitor” framework. What should Nigerian companies do tomorrow if they want to start moving the needle?

To start moving the needle on gender equity, organizations should first make it a clear priority, one that is held accountable by the top. This begins with diagnosing the situation by disaggregating workforce data by gender to identify where women are dropping off. Next, they need to modify existing and adopt new targeted interventions, focusing on impactful practices such as mentorship, flexible work policies, and bias training. Effective gender equity requires not just policies but active monitoring and accountability, with boards embedding diversity metrics into leadership reviews to drive real progress.