By George Ozalla
The Nigerian National Assembly is considering a constitutional amendment bill that seeks to create additional seats for women in each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The bill aims to address the systemic exclusion of women from governance and ensure adequate representation in decision-making structures.
According to the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Kafilat Ogbara, women’s representation in governance and decision-making processes has been alarmingly low, with only 20 women in the National Assembly and about 55 women out of 990 elected lawmakers at the state level. Nigeria ranks 178 out of 182 countries on the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) index for women in national parliaments.
The proposed bill seeks to reserve a certain percentage of seats in the legislature specifically for women. The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Ireti Kingibe, emphasized the national importance of the bill, citing global trends that show a strong correlation between increased female political participation and economic progress. She urged Nigerians, especially women, to actively mobilize support for the bill’s passage.
The bill proposes 74 exclusive seats for women at the federal level and 108 new state-level seats. It includes four key pillars: reservation of seats, inclusivity measures, implementation framework, and monitoring and evaluation. The reserved seats will be subject to review every four election cycles, with a termination clause after 16 years.
Proponents of the bill argue that increasing women’s representation in governance can accelerate economic growth and development. They point to countries like Rwanda and Nepal, where the introduction of quotas has significantly accelerated women’s political participation and helped build more inclusive governance systems.
In Nigeria, women are already driving change at the grassroots level, leading in education, healthcare, peacebuilding, and economic resilience. The bill’s supporters believe that deliberate, structural pathways into formal political leadership are necessary to unlock the full potential of Nigerian women.
The House of Representatives Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu have backed the bill, and a Joint Working and Strategy Advocacy Committee has been inaugurated to drive grassroots advocacy and stakeholder engagement.
The push for reserved seats for women in Nigeria’s legislative houses is a step towards promoting gender equality and representation in governance. If passed, the bill could have a significant impact on the country’s development and democracy.
In comparison to other African countries, Nigeria lags behind in terms of female representation in parliament. Rwanda, for example, has a significantly higher percentage of women in parliament, with over 60% of seats held by women. South Africa and Senegal also have higher percentages of female representation in their parliaments.
The bill’s passage would be a significant step towards promoting gender equality and representation in Nigeria’s governance structures. It would also be in line with global trends that show a strong correlation between increased female political participation and economic progress. With the support of key stakeholders, including the House of Representatives Speaker and the First Lady, the bill has a good chance of passing. If it does, it would be a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards promoting gender equality and representation in governance.
