The Nigerian Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on federal and state governments to address barriers preventing women from accessing public information.

In a statement released on Sunday to mark International Women’s Day 2026, Ayomide Eweje, a programme officer at MRA, said access to information plays a critical role in empowering women socially, economically, and politically.

“Access to information is not just a legal right but serves as a critical tool for survival, empowerment and equality for women as it enables them to make informed decisions, exercise and claim their rights, and participate fully in social, economic, and political life,” Ms Eweje said.

She added that access to information can improve women’s economic status, especially through digital platforms that support business and networking.

“Information is necessary for women to secure credit for small businesses and manage economic resources while information networks can bridge the gap for rural women who are often excluded from economic opportunities due to a lack of infrastructure, access to knowledge and other challenges,” she said.

According to her, access to information is important for women’s health and safety, noting that knowledge of reproductive health services helps them make informed decisions about childbirth, family planning, and disease prevention.

The programme officer said the digital space is becoming hostile, with online harassment and cyber violence targeting women, journalists, and activists, discouraging them from joining discussions and accessing important information.

“From technology-facilitated gender-based violence to the coordinated mobbing of female journalists and civil society activists online and in other digital spaces, the digital world is increasingly being weaponized to silence female voices,” she said.

Ms Eweje mentioned that the hostile online environment discourages many women from participating in digital discussions, limiting their access to information and weakening public accountability.

She further urged the federal and state governments, including the National Assembly, to adopt measures that would ensure women can fully realise their information rights.

Ms Eweje called for public institutions to release data broken down by gender and urged authorities to protect women in digital spaces by enforcing relevant laws, including the Cybercrimes Act.

A 2025 report by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy states that about 68% of Nigerian women don’t have access to smartphones, which limits their access to digital services and economic opportunities.

ActionAid Nigeria also reported in 2025 that many women have experienced cyberstalking, and about 10% had their private information shared online. Those often targeted are activists, journalists, and other women in public roles.

Another report released by Dataphyte in 2025, titled “Gender in Nigeria,” noted that only about 13.4% of Nigerian women have ever used a computer, compared with 21.8% of men.