Special Report
by Chukwudi George Ozalla
Nigerian Women and National Women Leaders Forum of Political Parties- all coming together from different political parties, activists, He‑For‑She advocates, female politicians, non‑governmental organisations, media professionals, and other stakeholders gathered Thursday in Abuja as Kano Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel witnessed a large turnout for a national dialogue on the pending Special Seats Bill. The hall was alive with animated conversation, warm handshakes, brief embraces, and quiet laughter, creating an atmosphere of shared purpose as delegates prepared for what many described as the most decisive push yet for greater women’s representation in Nigeria’s legislature.
The event was supported by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre PLAC, whose Executive Director Clement Nwankwo set the tone for the day’s proceedings, urging participants to consider the dialogue the final stretch and to intensify coordinated efforts to ensure the bill becomes law.
After the engaging roundtable, during a press briefing which has in attendance Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, it was stated that the Special Seats Bill must be treated as a constitutional corrective step rather than a charity. The statement noted that in the current Tenth National Assembly women occupy only four of 109 Senate seats and seventeen of 360 seats in the House of Representatives — a total of 21 out of 469 lawmakers, representing just 4.5 percent. At state level, only 48 women won seats in 2023 across all 36 Houses of Assembly, amounting to roughly 4.7 percent, while 13 states currently have no female legislators at all. She described those numbers as a glaring democratic deficit and a vivid illustration of systemic barriers that women continue to face.
The bill, the Minister stated, would create 74 additional seats in the National Assembly — one additional Senator and one additional Representative for each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory — and 108 additional seats in State Houses of Assembly. The new seats would exist alongside existing constituencies and would be contested through direct elections, with full legislative status and equal responsibilities as other seats. The arrangement would be temporary, subject to review after a few election cycles to assess its impact and relevance.
Speakers reinforced the urgency. Former Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen appealed for unity among women of all political affiliations and called on lawmakers to summon courage and send the bill through. Long-time gender equity activist Ene Ede reminded attendees that inclusion is about justice and effective governance, not tokenism. BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights Executive Director Yeye Bunmi Dipo-Salami urged civil society and political actors to sustain pressure, arguing the bill offers a real chance to correct decades of exclusion. In her vote of thanks, Prof Joy Ngozi Ezeilo highlighted her experience as a consultant who helped draft Rwanda’s constitutional provisions for special seats for women and urged Nigerian women to remain resolute until reforms succeed.
The Special Seats Bill was first sponsored in the Ninth National Assembly and re-introduced in the Tenth by the Deputy Speaker. It aims to create one women-only seat per state in both legislative chambers at the federal level, plus additional seats in each state assembly through constitutional amendments. Proponents argue it will lift Nigeria’s female parliamentary representation from its current single-digit levels among the lowest in Africa to a more credible figure, strengthening inclusivity, legislative performance, and representation of women’s interests nationwide.
Across Africa, Rwanda remains the global leader with women holding over 60 percent of parliamentary seats through constitutionally reserved positions. Senegal, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania have adopted quota or party-list systems, ensuring female representation ranges between 40 and 60 percent. By contrast, Nigeria’s current rate of about 4 percent places it at the bottom of continental rankings. Advocates argue that passage of the Special Seats Bill will help align Nigeria with regional standards, improve policy outcomes, and give millions of women a stronger voice in shaping national laws.
