Abstract
Gender equality remains a cornerstone of inclusive and sustainable development, with particular relevance to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably Goal 5 (gender equality) and Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth). Despite Nigeria's ratification of key international treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Maputo Protocol, these instruments remain largely undomesticated. This study examines how Nigeria's gender equality legal frameworks have influenced the attainment of SDGs 5 and 8 between 2015 and 2024. It is guided by two core research questions; does the government's failure to domesticate ratified international instruments toward gender equality undermine the attainment of SDG 8 in Nigeria? Secondly, have legislative efforts aimed at promoting gender equality impeded or advanced the attainment of SDG 5 within the same period. Drawing on the propositions of the structural functional theory, the study adopts a qualitative methodology, combining documentary and observational methods. Data were
collected from secondary sources including national policies, legislative documents, government documents, and scholarly literature. Findings indicate that the nondomestication of international instruments has undermined equal legal and economic
rights between gender, restricting their access to decent work and economic empowerment. Similarly, domestic legislative efforts, including the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill and the National Gender Policy, have faced persistent sociopolitical resistance, hampering advancement toward SDG 5. The study recommends an effective Domestication and Implementation of International Treaties and adoption of a Legally Binding Gender Quota System for Political and Economic Inclusion.