This chapter discusses the topic of gender, gender relations, and the history/roles of women in Indigenous and colonial Nigeria. It will also explore the regional differences in women’s experience from the Islamic north to the relatively egalitarian status of Igbo women in the southeast. While still mainly occupying subordinate roles, many women in precolonial Nigeria could wield significant official and unofficial power. With the onset of colonialism, women’s lives were relegated to the private sphere, with direct and indirect barriers excluding women from significant public roles. Finally, the chapter chronicles colonial Nigerian women’s widespread response and agency during this period, detailing several noteworthy individuals.