When motherhood becomes a penalty

By Abimbola Ola

The global fight against pregnancy discrimination in the workplace

For many women, the dream of building a career comes with an unspoken condition: do not get pregnant. Across industries, from hospitality to banking and finance, pregnancy is still treated as a professional weakness rather than a natural part of life. The result? Women are forced to choose between their careers and their right to motherhood—a choice their male colleagues are rarely asked to make.

During my years in the hotel industry as a pastry chef, the rule was brutally clear: no female staff could become pregnant within the first four years of employment. Women who broke this rule were asked to resign or were quietly dismissed. Meanwhile, male employees were free to start families, celebrate fatherhood, and keep their jobs without interruption. This double standard is not an isolated incident. In fact, it is part of a global pattern of discrimination. A UK study revealed that 77 per cent of women reported negative or discriminatory experiences during pregnancy, maternity leave, or upon return to work, and one in nine mothers felt forced to leave their jobs entirely.

In the United States, a bipartisan survey found that 1 in 5 mothers had personally experienced pregnancy discrimination, with nearly 23 per cent considering leaving their jobs due to lack of accommodation. Even more shocking, according to the World Bank, in 38 countries worldwide it is still legal to fire a woman simply for being pregnant. Nigeria is not exempted from this challenge.

The Section 54 of the Nigerian Labour Act concerns maternity protection for female workers, outlining their right to leave work upon providing a medical certificate for upcoming confinement, prohibition from working for a specified period post-confinement, and entitlement to at least 50 per cent of their salary for the leave period if employed for at least six months prior. It also protects against dismissal during maternity leave and for illnesses arising from the pregnancy or confinement.  The Act guarantees women six weeks of maternity leave before and after delivery. But realities on ground often tell a different story.

In practice, women in private institutions are sometimes pressured to resign or are denied promotions once they become pregnant. Though some state governments like Lagos, Enugu, and Ekiti have extended maternity leave for public servants to six months on full pay, such progress is uneven, and many private organisations remain far behind. At the heart of these practices is a flawed belief: that motherhood reduces a woman’s value in the workplace. This thinking is not only discriminatory but also destructive.

By penalising women for pregnancy, organisations lose out on skilled, creative, and resilient professionals. They create cultures of fear rather than loyalty, silence rather than innovation. The solution is not complicated—it requires the courage to adopt inclusive policies and enforce them. Comprehensive maternity and paternity leave, flexible work structures, childcare support, and strict anti-discrimination measures are not luxuries; they are necessities for a fair workplace. Supporting women through motherhood does not weaken organisations—it strengthens them. Women should never be forced to delay or abandon motherhood in order to succeed professionally. True equality means dismantling outdated rules that punish women for choices men make freely. It is time for industries, governments, and society at large to stand against pregnancy discrimination.

Until that happens, women will continue to pay a price no man is ever asked to pay- the penalty of motherhood.