Hauwa Bello grew up in a conservative Muslim family where traditional religious interpretations often placed men in positions of authority over women. But as she grew older, the 33-year-old mother found herself questioning that dominance.
In her search, she realised parts of the Quran support the dignity of all people, irrespective of gender.
“The Muslim faith teaches dignity, fairness, and accountability,” says the mother of three in Abuja. “It admonishes us to stand for justice. Justice for workplace rights, protection from abuse, and access to education without opposition.”
From then on, she became more assertive of her rights. She is among Nigerian women who are grounding demands for equality in religious teachings rather than rejecting religion altogether.
These women are turning to religious texts themselves to challenge long-standing interpretations that place men above women. They argue that religion itself can be a tool for gender justice rather than a barrier to it.
‘Upgraded man’
As more women reinterpret their beliefs in ways that affirm equality, they have found support from some liberal male religious leaders who also believe decades-old teachings that emphasised male dominance should be reassessed.
“Do you know that a woman is an upgraded man?” Stephen Akusu, a pastor at Living Faith Church in Warri, Delta State, asked his congregation one Sunday morning. A ripple moved through the church as he read from the Bible’s creation story and explained his belief that because a woman was made from a man, she was refined and presented as a companion equal in purpose and dignity, not an afterthought.
“Men failed at times, and women stepped in. Remember Deborah who led Israel when Barak held back?” He pressed on. “Wisdom is not gender-sensitive and women have been heroes of faith and have done exceptionally well.”
Yet such interpretations remain contested. Conservative clergy continue to argue that women’s leadership and public participation in church life contradict biblical teachings.
In 2019, Chibuzor Ukaonu, head pastor of Restored Bible Tabernacle, declared during a sermon in Lagos that women speaking in church violated biblical instructions that women should remain silent in church gatherings.
“You may listen to it somehow, or see it somehow, but the truth is the truth,” he insisted.
For women like Mrs. Bello, the issue is not simply whether feminism is good or bad, but how their faith intersects with it in everyday life.
When relatives questioned her decision to save money to go back to school after years of marriage, Mrs. Bello responded by citing Quranic teachings on dignity and justice.
But cultural resistance to framing gender equality in religious terms remains strong. In much of the country, especially in northern Nigeria, religious and cultural norms often reinforce expectations that women’s primary roles are marriage, motherhood, domestic work, and family care.
“When they [women] succeed, people question it. They face harassment and assault, then get blamed,” says Amarachukwu Nnoli, a Nigerian feminist writer.
For activists and reform-minded clergy, support from male religious leaders is significant because it challenges the idea that gender equality is incompatible with faith.
Building a movement
Efforts to interpret religion through a gender lens are also taking shape beyond individual congregations. Interfaith initiatives like the Side-by-Side Movement for Gender Justice work with religious leaders to address issues including girl-child education, female genital mutilation, child marriage, inheritance rights, and women’s political participation.
Advocates of faith-based gender justice say the gradual acceptance of women’s leadership within some congregations is helping transform religion from a source of restriction into a resource for empowerment.
More young people are also engaging with the changing narrative to express their rights within faith communities.
For example, Blessing Omakwu, the founder of the gender equality organisation The She Tank, leads conversations at the intersection of gender, faith, and culture. Through her podcast, “Jesus Is a Feminist,” she argues that Christ’s teachings affirm the equal dignity and worth of women.
Digital platforms such as podcasts and social media play a significant role in helping women assert their influence and expand their reach.
A 2025 study by researchers Bukola Oloba and Anne Blankenship found that digital platforms are reshaping Christian leadership in Nigeria, creating new opportunities for female religious leaders while exposing them to persistent gender bias. The researchers cautioned that while digital media expands women’s visibility, it does not eliminate entrenched gender inequalities.
Although significant resistance remains, advocates say growing support from clergy, activists, and digital communities is expanding opportunities for women to participate more visibly in religious life.
Back at Living Faith Church in Warri, Pastor Akusu concluded his message with a note that his advocacy for equality is not an endorsement of toxicity.
“While I reject anger-driven feminism that targets all men, I strongly support every woman’s right to rise because God created both equally,” he said.
For Mrs. Bello, the debate is no longer about choosing between faith and feminism but about accepting them as mutually reinforcing. The same religion that once seemed to justify male dominance now provides her with the language she uses to defend her dignity.