Politics provides the opportunity for participation in the administration and management of a country.  The essence is that, if elected, one is then opportuned to be a part of the core political process.  This study attempts to highlight the extent of women participation in politics and their contributions to women empowerment and by extension national development in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.  The study while acknowledging an improvement in terms of the number of women in elective and non-elective positions in government in recent times, is however of the view that number is still insignificant.  One of the first obstacles to be crossed ti to make the government and political parties implement the various laws and resolutions on women in the area of appointments and elections.  Also and most important, the political parties must reform the methods and processes of their primaries to accommodate women participation.  The study concludes that the modest achievements of the few women in politics and particularly those in non-elective positions are indicators of the need to have more women in government.