The Federal Government has described the rising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria as a national emergency following the documentation of 2,755 cases between January and April 2026.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, disclosed the figures on Thursday in Abuja during a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony involving her ministry, the New Era Foundation, and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
She said the reported cases translated to an average of 23 incidents daily across the country.
According to her, females account for 81 per cent of survivors, while sexual violence makes up 82 per cent of all reported cases.
She added that most victims are girls aged between 10 and 14 years.
“Nationally, only four per cent of formally reported GBV cases have been successfully prosecuted, leaving a staggering 96 per cent unresolved due to structural bottlenecks,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated.
“I have always said we do not want Nigeria to become the capital of rape.
”That is why we are approaching this issue from every angle,” she added.
The minister said Nigeria currently has only 50 shelter and support centres nationwide, describing the figure as grossly inadequate.
She said this shortage underscored the urgency for partnerships aimed at strengthening survivor support systems.
Under the agreement, the New Era Foundation’s Patient’s Home in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, will be converted into a Women’s Support and Rehabilitation Home.
The facility would provide shelter, mental health care, trauma support, legal assistance, and economic empowerment programmes for survivors.
“Structures such as this will not only help us prevent violence but also protect survivors,” the minister said.
She noted that the ministry was validating a National Action Plan on GBV under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the New Era Foundation for supporting the initiative.
Executive Secretary of the New Era Foundation, Grace Giwa, said the facility would now be dedicated to supporting GBV survivors.
NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr. Muyi Aina, said the agency would provide technical and medical support for the centre.
He described GBV as a social, public health, and human rights challenge with long-term consequences.
Stakeholders said the partnership could serve as a national model for survivor-centred care and protection.
