2024, commonly referred to as the “super election year”, saw 15 countries hold elections, with polls in 5 countries postponed or suspended across the African continent. Of the 15 countries, four (4) countries (Algeria, Comoros, Mauritania, Tunisia) held presidential elections, five (5) (Botswana, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa, Togo), parliamentary polls, and six (6) countries (Chad, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal), held presidential and parliamentary elections.
Beyond the Vote: How Women Fared in Africa's 2024 Elections
Parliamentary elections
In the countries where parliamentary elections were held, women averaged 32% of the members elected to the lower/single house. It is a slight increase from the previous elections, when it stood at 31%. Following the parliamentary elections, the following observations on women elected to the lower/single house can be made:
Of the countries that held parliamentary elections, the majority (8 of 11) do not have gender quotas. Of the three countries where quotas are implemented – Rwanda, Senegal and Togo – Rwanda not only met but exceeded its 30% quota target. Senegal and Togo have both set ambitious 50% quota targets in line with the commitments set in the Maputo Protocol (Article 9) and CEDAW General Recommendation 40. While falling short, Senegal ranks as one of the countries with the highest percentage of women elected to the lower/single house in Africa, with 41.2%. In Togo, despite the adoption of the quota, 18.6%.
Presidential elections
Overall, female representation among presidential candidates is extremely low. Of the 86 presidential candidates, four were women and 82 men. Only four countries (Senegal, Chad, Mozambique, Namibia) had a female presidential candidate, and of those, one was successful. Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah was elected President of Namibia, becoming the first woman to hold this position.
Towards parity
The goal of achieving parity in representation in the lower/single houses of parliament across the continent remains unfulfilled. 2024 saw modest increases in women elected in some countries, while it decreased in the majority.
As of 1 January 2025, Rwanda remains the only country in Africa where women’s representation in the lower/single house is 50% or higher, with 63.8%. Beyond Rwanda, five countries — South Africa, Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Namibia — have women holding between 40% and 49.99% of seats, representing among the strongest performances on the continent. A further eleven countries fall in the 30–39.99% range, while the largest cluster of countries, sixteen in total, have women holding between 10% and 19.99% of seats — less than a fifth of their respective parliaments. Five countries have female representation below 10%, with Nigeria recording the lowest figure on the continent at just 3.9%.
Regional disparities in women’s representation in the lower/single houses of parliament are also evident. Eastern Africa leads with a regional average of 29.7%, though this figure is significantly influenced by Rwanda's outsized performance. Southern Africa follows at 28.5%, driven by strong showings from South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and Angola, all of which exceed 39%. Central and Western Africa average 24% and 21.2%, respectively, while Northern Africa trails the continent with a regional average of just 19.3%
Gains in Women’s Political Leadership and Political Representation
While women are underrepresented in many parliaments and there are few female presidential candidates, there are some noteworthy and positive developments to celebrate. They include two historic elections and four women seeking the presidency:
Chad:
Ghana:
Namibia:
Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah made history when she became the country’s first female president.
Mozambique:
Senegal:
Conclusion
The 2024 elections produced a mixed record on women's political representation across Africa. In the majority of countries that held parliamentary elections, the percentage of women elected declined, and female presidential candidacy remained extremely limited: of the 86 presidential candidates across ten elections, only four were women, and the majority of countries had no female candidate at all.
Nevertheless, 2024 was not without significant achievements. Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah's election as President of Namibia was a historic milestone, making her the first woman to hold that office. Rwanda not only met but exceeded its 30% quota target, maintaining its position as the global leader in women's parliamentary representation with 63.8% of seats held by women. Senegal, despite falling short of its ambitious 50% quota target, returned one of the highest proportions of women elected to parliament on the continent at 41.2%.
Of the eleven countries that held parliamentary elections, the majority do not have gender quotas in place. Where quotas exist, results were uneven. Senegal and Togo have both set targets of 50%, in line with commitments under the Maputo Protocol and CEDAW General Recommendation 40, yet both fell short of this threshold in 2024. As of 1 January 2025, Rwanda remains the only African country where women hold a majority of parliamentary seats, while Nigeria records the continent's lowest level of female representation at 3.9%.
The 2024 results nonetheless offer a foundation to build on. Namibia's historic presidential election and Rwanda's continued global leadership show that meaningful progress is achievable. However, with the majority of countries still falling below the 30% threshold and quota commitments remaining unenforced in several cases, the broader goal of gender parity across African parliaments and presidential offices remains a work in progress.