Controversy trails Nigeria’s delegation to UN Women’s conference

A fresh controversy has emerged in the Senate over Nigeria’s delegation to the 2026 session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, following claims by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that she was excluded from the official delegation.

The global conference on gender equality and women’s empowerment commenced on Monday in New York, bringing together government officials, policymakers and activists from around the world.

The dispute centres on the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Heebah Kingibe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women Affairs.

Kingibe had earlier taken a strong position during a Senate budget presentation session, reportedly stating that she would boycott the international conference if Akpoti-Uduaghan was not included in the delegation.

“If Senator Natasha Akpoti is not going to attend the programme, it means I am not going to attend too,” Kingibe was quoted as saying during the meeting.

However, developments later appeared to contradict that position.

In a letter dated March 5, 2026, addressed to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kingibe clarified that only two senators had been officially nominated and registered for the conference by the Senate leadership.

“For the sake of clarity, I can confirm that at this stage, only two members of the Senate have been officially nominated by the Senate President and have confirmed registration: myself and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire,” the letter stated.

She also explained that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs had not yet finalised the broader list of delegates or concluded travel and accommodation arrangements for Nigeria’s team.

However, documents and messages circulating online suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan might have initially been considered for the trip.

A WhatsApp message allegedly sent by an aide linked to Kingibe reportedly requested the international passport data page of the Kogi Central senator for the CSW programme in New York.

“Good afternoon ma’am… Please we need your principal’s data page for CSW New York,” the message read.

The development has sparked speculation about what may have changed between the initial preparations and the final nomination list.

The issue has also reignited debate over Nigeria’s representation at a global conference focused on women’s rights and gender equality, particularly given the limited number of female senators in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Kingibe noted in her letter that Akpoti-Uduaghan could still attend the conference independently if she already had a valid United States visa.

“While the official Ministry-sponsored list remains pending, please be advised that if you already possess a valid United States visa and wish to attend independently, you are most welcome to join the delegation in New York,” she wrote.

She added that access to the United Nations complex would depend on formal accreditation handled by the Ministry of Women Affairs.