Outcome NGA_D_4.1

By 2027, people in Nigeria, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from peace and security, and protection from conflict, violence, and crime through strengthening capacity and infrastructures.

Progress toward strengthened peace, security, and protection outcomes for people in Nigeria, particularly the most vulnerable, remained mixed in 2025, reflecting both structural constraints and targeted gains across the Women, Peace and Security and humanitarian nexus. Representation of women and other population groups in national and local institutions under SDG 16.7.1 remained limited. As of the reporting year, the composite proportion of positions held by women and marginalized groups across legislatures, public service, and the judiciary stood at 5 percent, unchanged from the 2022 baseline, against a 2027 target of 35 percent. This underscores persistent systemic barriers to inclusive governance and decision-making in peace and security institutions. Women’s participation in formal peace processes showed gradual improvement. Women mediators, negotiators, and signatories accounted for 5 percent of participants in major peace processes, progressing toward the 2027 target of 15 percent, but still reflecting underrepresentation in high-level conflict resolution mechanisms. Humanitarian response outcomes remained more positive. Women and girls constituted 55 percent of direct beneficiaries of coordinated humanitarian responses, maintaining the baseline level and moving toward the 2027 target of 60 percent. This reflects sustained integration of gender considerations in humanitarian targeting and service delivery, particularly in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. At the policy level, Nigeria maintained an adopted National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security with monitoring indicators, meeting the outcome requirement for institutionalized WPS accountability through 2027. In parallel, 100 percent of humanitarian country team response plans and strategies continued to demonstrate integration of gender equality considerations, sustaining the baseline performance and meeting the 2027 target. Humanitarian gender outcomes and policy commitments remained stable, progress toward inclusive representation and leadership in peace and security institutions lagged behind targets.

By 2027, people in Nigeria, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from peace and security, and protection from conflict, violence, and crime through strengthening capacity and infrastructures.

8214 increased their income through agriculture livelihood and income generation skills training; have increased their capacities in businesses and entrepreneurship skills and were able to increase income and diversified their businesses and received training on alternative dispute resolution, mediation, peacebuilding, and conflict management Across all implementation locations. Additionally, During the reporting period, Gender Technical Team (GTT) group Co-Chaired by UN Women and UN OCHA with technical support from Senior GenCap advisor to review the Nigerian 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) to enusre that the needs of affected population and captured in a gender inclusive manner. The HRP highlight the clear economic needs of women and girls and the issues around GBV and response plan.

By 2027, people in Nigeria, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from peace and security, and protection from conflict, violence, and crime through strengthening capacity and infrastructures.

According to the Global Peace Index, Nigeria ranked 147 of 163 in 2023 and 2024; however, despite the scores remaining the same, Nigeria recorded an overall decline in peacefulness of 0.029, which is higher than the regional average of 0.025. Globally, the 2024 Global Peace Index reveals a decline in peacefulness in 97 countries, the highest since the index began with Nigeria being one of the countries affected by regional conflicts and rising violence. With a peace index ranking of 147 and a decline in peacefulness of 0.029, which is higher than the regional average of 0.025 , and with an estimated economic cost of violence (as % of GDP rank) of 23 out of 163 countries, with Ukraine being in 1st place, Nigeria's deteriorating peace index not only impacts foreign investment and economic stability, but it further disproportionately affects women and other marginalized populations. UN Women, through the support of its partners is working across sectors to enhance gender-responsive peace and security processes and works with security sector institutions and other stakholders including community based structures. UN Women supported community-based structures such as Mixed Observers Teams (MoTs), Community Security Platforms (CSP), and women mediation networks that applied knowledge and tools acquired in gender responsive peacebuilding to strengthen protection and support for women and girls affected by violent conflict in the North East, North Central, and North West geo-political zones in Nigeria. For example, WPS structures and security agencies leveraged joint communication platforms in enhancing conflict prevention and early warning and early response (EWER) efforts. Also, to ensure effective response to the diverse protection needs of vulnerable groups, especially women and girls. Following strategic legislative engagement and capacity strengthening on 3rd NAP for legislature in Plateau, Kaduna, Adamawa and Borno states, the legislators adopted action plans to ensure annual budgetary allocation for the implementation and oversight of gender and WPS related interventions to meet commitments to SAPs on UNSCR in their respective states in support of the implementation of the 3rd NAP. Additioally, the women, peace and security structures have been at the forefront of effort to protect the rights of women and girls and mitigating drug and substnace abuse identified as a threat to the safety and security of vulnerable groups in conflict affected communities. For example, the interventions of Women mediators led to the shutdown of illicit drugs shops, and addressed drug abuse and youth restiveness in Mangu LGA of Plateau State. In Plateau State, UN Women's support for the Operationalization of the Plateau State Gender Commission through training of staff on gender mainstreaming in peace and security has contributed to budgetary allocation for gender mainstreaming in the state's policies, programmes, development plans, as well as the implementation of gender responsive initiatives in the state. For example, the Plateau State Gender Commission established Women Mediators' Desks across the 17 LGA to promote gender responsive mediation at all levels in the state.