Women demand an end to the gender imbalances in campus sport

Before Maryam Umaru joined north-east Nigeria’s University of Yola (Modibbo Adama University) in Adamawa State, she was passionate about becoming a footballer. She participated in local football competitions and hoped to continue playing as a student.

However, after she started her studies in 2021, she discovered there were no female sports clubs at the university. She was told that sports, particularly football, were only for male students – a fact that was not mentioned in the student handbook.

“I was told football was for boys ...” she recalled. With no support for women in sports, Umaru abandoned her dream.

Rukaya Abdullah faced a similar situation at Kebbi State University of Science and Technology in north-west Nigeria. Despite her passion for volleyball and her pursuit of a chemistry degree, she found that the school’s leaders and management did not encourage female students to participate in sports. The school’s sports teams are exclusively male, and there are no teams for female students.

“It feels like they don’t believe girls can do sports here,” she said.

But Dr Ismaila Alhaji Umar, the dean of student affairs at Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, said: “We don’t have any regulation that excludes female participation. We admit there are gaps and we are currently reviewing our extracurricular engagement framework to ensure greater inclusion.”

The “gaps”, however, are not limited to the University of Yola and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology. They are found across Nigeria’s higher education system.

Gender imbalance

The students’ experiences align with the findings of a 2023 study titled, ‘Female Student Participation in Recreational Activities: A study of facilities availability and its influencing factors in Nigerian northern university’.

It found that factors such as the lack of standard sports facilities, academic stress and university policies are barriers to female participation in sports at Nigerian universities.

The study, focusing on Bayero University, Kano, confirmed that female students rarely participated in sports, being confined to activities like jogging, walking, listening to music and reading. The study highlighted that many Nigerian universities do not provide female students with the same opportunities to participate in sports as they do for male students, creating a gender imbalance.

Women athletes

Despite the lack of encouragement for female university students in Nigeria to participate in sports, Nigerian women athletes excel globally.

The Super Falcons dominate African women’s football, consistently qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, while D’Tigress, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, has won multiple FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles.

Nigerian women also shine in wrestling, weightlifting and athletics. For instance, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, three Nigerian women (Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor) made history by reaching the final of the women’s long jump – the first Nigerians to do so.

At the 2022 Olympics, Nigeria had its best performance ever, winning 35 medals, including 12 golds, all secured by female athletes. Similarly, at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the women’s team, led by Blessing Okagbare, contributed nine of the 11 golds won by Nigeria. Tobi Amusan, another standout, is the current world record holder in the 100m hurdles set at the 2022 World Championships. She is also the reigning Commonwealth and African champion.

However, most of these athletes have developed their talents outside Nigerian universities, often through private academies or on sports scholarships in the United States, as Nigerian institutions rarely offer structured sports programmes or bursaries for women.

This lack of support forces many talented female athletes to abandon their dreams or seek opportunities abroad, highlighting the systemic gender disparity in university sports.

Confidence and clothing

Many of those who cannot access opportunities abroad make do with what is on offer on Nigerian campuses.

Raji Eniola, a fourth-year biology student at north-west Nigeria’s Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), is one of them. Eniola has always been passionate about volleyball. When she first arrived at her university, she noticed that only male students were involved in the sport.

Curious, she approached one of the players to ask why no women participated. “He said the school management doesn’t focus on it, especially for ladies,” she explained. Despite this, Eniola didn’t let the lack of female representation discourage her.

She has played volleyball since junior secondary school, often travelling for interstate competitions. Inspired by her mother, who also loved sports, Eniolo’s passion for volleyball grew stronger. “Every time I remember how much I love the game, it strengthens my passion,” she said.

Eniola dreams of becoming an international player and continues to train, even though the absence of other women on the team could be disheartening. “I don’t let it affect me. I focus on my game,” she added. She believes many women are interested, but need more confidence to join, especially since they worry about coaching.

Popoola Tomiwa, a third-year education student, also at UDUS, loves volleyball, but her challenges are different. She finds it hard to participate due to the demands of her studies and the attire required for the sport.

“The lectures are too hectic, and the required sportswear doesn’t feel comfortable for me,” she said. The school prohibits tight-fitting sportswear, commonly used for volleyball, which makes Tomiwa feel restricted. She also believes the school management does not invest enough in sports, despite students paying fees for it.

“The facilities aren’t sufficient, and it feels like the environment is not encouraging for sports,” she explained. Tomiwa had imagined a more vibrant campus life, like those she saw in movies or heard about from her siblings studying in Ibadan. “It’s not what I expected,” she said.

She believes that the university could prepare students to participate in inter-school competitions with better training, equipment and more freedom in sportswear. But, for now, the lack of investment keeps students like her from thoroughly enjoying sports on campus.

What needs to be done

Chidimma Donald, a second-year chemistry student at the Nasarawa State University in northern Nigeria, expresses deep disappointment over female students’ lack of sports opportunities at her university.

Having enjoyed playing football in secondary school, Donald was shocked that the university did not offer equal opportunities for women to participate in sports. She believes this limitation has affected her and other female students who might have developed a passion for sports.

“When I discovered there were no opportunities for female students, I felt that it was going to be a boring place,” she said. “It can also lead to low self-esteem, as we’re unable to stand up for our rights.”

Donald feels that the absence of such programmes restricts women from fully expressing themselves and developing valuable life skills such as dedication, teamwork and perseverance. She advocates for equal representation in sports, emphasising the need for more inclusive environments where women feel comfortable and valued.

Her message to university leaders is clear: “There shouldn’t be any form of superiority. Women deserve the same chance [as men] to shine in the sports world.”

Neglect not ‘deliberate’

But some of the institutions, in response, said they did not deliberately disadvantage women.

Dr Aminu Yahaya, the director of sports at UDUS, denied the claims that the institution neglected female athletes.

“We do not intentionally sideline female students. The truth is, participation has been low due to cultural and environmental factors, not from lack of institutional support,” he said.

Yahaya noted that the university has made efforts to improve sports facilities in recent years and is open to creating more inclusive programmes. “If female students show interest, we are ready to work with them to create teams, allocate equipment, and even organise inter-faculty games specifically for women,” he added.

He encouraged female students to engage more and assured them of institutional backing.

Active implementation needed

Fatima Adamu, the programme manager at Nana Girls and Women Empowerment Initiative, an NGO advocating for women’s rights, emphasised that universities must move beyond passive policies to active implementation.

“It’s not enough to say women can join – the universities must create and fund programmes that support female athletes, provide safe training spaces and promote these opportunities visibly,” she said.

Halima Sarkinfada, a sociology professor at UDUS, emphasises the importance of sports for female students in Nigerian public universities.

She highlights that sports offer the same health and fitness benefits as they do for male students. She believes that, with proper sponsorship from university managements, female students could excel in inter-university competitions, which could also bring economic benefits to the institution.

“Those in charge of sports should provide female students with adequate facilities so they can pursue their dreams,” she explained, adding that, while participation should not be mandatory, those with a passion for sports should be encouraged.

Sarkinfada notes that female students often hesitate to participate due to environmental concerns, but she believes this can be addressed. “I don’t think it’s against religion to wear modest attire like long sports trousers, a hijab to cover the neck, or a long gown that allows for movement,” she said.

Sarkinfada, who enjoys sports, has participated in a staff fitness trek organised by Professor Lawal Bilbis, a former vice-chancellor of UDUS.

“We look forward to more such initiatives,” she said, hoping that more female students will feel supported and encouraged to participate in campus sports activities.