Women in ministerial positions — all countries

Women in ministerial positions — Western Africa

Women in ministerial positions in Western Africa in 2025 — 20.5%. Since 2005, the indicator has risen by 2.9 pp.

2025 20.5% −1.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 21.7%2023
Period minimum 17.6%2005

Trend over time

2005–2025 · % of ministers

Women in ministerial positions — Western Africa, 2005–202516182022200520072009201120132015201720192021202320252005: 17.6%2008: 19.7%2010: 20.7%2012: 21.4%2014: 19.7%2015: 20.9%2016: 17.8%2018: 18.6%2019: 20.7%2020: 21.3%2022: 19.7%2023: 21.7%2024: 21.6%2025: 20.5%
Change over the period: +2.9 pp Annual average: 0.14 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Western Africa

Western Africa 20.5%
World 22.4%
Women in ministerial positions — Western Africa, by year Western Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 20.5 −1.1 pp
2024 21.6 −0 pp
2023 21.7 +1.9 pp
2022 19.7
2020 21.3 +0.6 pp
2019 20.7 +2.1 pp
2018 18.6
2016 17.8 −3.1 pp
2015 20.9 +1.2 pp
2014 19.7
2012 21.4
2010 20.7
2008 19.7
2005 17.6

About the indicator

The share of women among the ministers of a government. The indicator complements the share of women in parliament and often diverges from it: parliamentary representation in many countries is backed by quotas, while the composition of a government is formed by the decision of one person or party, so it reacts faster and shifts more sharply — from zero to full parity within a single round of appointments.

Important: The aggregate for a country group is a simple average across countries rather than a weighted one: the correct weight would be the number of ministers, and the source does not publish it. A simple average answers the question of how widespread the practice is, not of how many women ministers there are in the world.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.