The Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) has announced that applications are still open for its 2025 Women in Law Mentoring Programme (WILMP), a free leadership development initiative designed for female legal practitioners in Nigeria.
The programme targets women aged 25-45 with 4 to 10 years of experience working in the judiciary, legislature, executive, or private legal practice who aspire to leadership positions in Nigeria's legal and public sectors.
Addressing Gender Gap in Legal Leadership
According to the 2024 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, Nigeria ranks 125th out of 146 countries in political empowerment for women. The initiative aims to address the significant underrepresentation of women in legal leadership positions across the country.
Current statistics reveal that only 4 out of 13 Attorney General positions are held by women, just 4 out of 109 Senate seats are occupied by women, and only 3 Supreme Court Justices are women—despite women constituting nearly half of law graduates nationwide.
WISCAR's 2027 vision includes increasing these numbers to 13 women Attorneys General, 7 women on the Supreme Court, 38 women Senators, and 23 female Justices on the Court of Appeal.
Programme Benefits and Structure
The WILMP is fully funded for all selected participants, eliminating financial barriers to professional development. The programme will be conducted in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano to enable wider participation across Nigeria.
Participants will benefit from:
• One-on-one mentorship with leading legal and policy experts
• Strategic leadership training tailored to Nigeria's legal and public sector
• Immersive, practical sessions to build influence and confidence
• A lifelong support community of professionals and advocates
• Access to a powerful professional network of mentors
How to Apply
Interested female legal practitioners are encouraged to apply before the deadline of June 4, 2025. Applications can be submitted through the official website: https://wilmentoring.wiscar.ng
The programme aims to equip up to 300 women with the tools, mentorship, and support needed to lead transformative change in Nigeria's legal landscape and public sector.
