Abuja: The clamour for increased representation of women in Nigeria’s political space has once again come to the fore, as stakeholders await the outcome of the Reserved Seats Bill currently before the National Assembly. The bill, also referred to as the ‘Additional or Reserved Seats Bill,’ seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide reservation for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly to address the low number of women in the legislature.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, if passed into law, the bill will address the long-standing concerns of women underrepresentation in governance and decision-making by ensuring that these special seats are to be contested and filled by women only as a temporary measure to boost their representation. The bill proposes the creation of one Special Seat for women per Senatorial District and one per Federal Constituency to be contested by women in general elections, of which they will have the same privileges and responsibilities as existing members.
This political solution is expected to exist alongside the current constituency seats and will be in place for a limited number of election cycles, after which they will be reviewed to strengthen women’s political inclusion. Political analysts say Nigerian women’s political representation in the National Assembly has steadily declined since 2007, when 36 women held seats; nine in the Senate and 27 in the House of Representatives.
Currently, women occupy less than seven per cent of elective and appointive positions across the country, a figure far below the 35 per cent affirmative action benchmark recommended in National Gender Policies and international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory. Recently, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, raised concerns at the ninth Voice of Women conference and awards in Abuja.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted that currently, women occupy less than six per cent of seats in the National Assembly, far below the African Union target of 50 per cent parity and beneath the global average of 26.5 per cent. In State Assemblies, women’s representation is less than 5 per cent nationwide. By contrast, Rwanda has achieved 61 per cent female representation in parliament, while South Africa has over 46 per cent.
According to Sulaiman-Ibrahim, these figures highlight just how far behind Nigeria is and why decisive action is urgently needed. She stated, “Our Reserved Seats Bill has the potential to open a new chapter in political inclusivity. By institutionalising women’s participation, we align with international best practices and strengthen democracy at home.”
Similarly, the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) says the current figures show that only four women out of 109 are in the 10th Senate; 16 out of 360 in the House of Representatives; 54 in the 36 State House of Assemblies (out of 990 seats nationwide), while 14 State Houses of Assembly have no female legislator. According to PLAC, its recent survey on the cost and benefits of the Special Seats Bill shows that the cost of the additional members in the National Assembly being sought will amount to less than one per cent increase in the annual national budget.
Supporters of the bill describe it as a bold step towards bridging the gender gap in governance. They argue that the reserved seats will not only guarantee women’s voices in parliament but also inspire more women to participate actively in politics. President Bola Tinubu, represented by Mr George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, at the National Public Hearing on Constitution Alteration Bill, declared his support for the passage of the bill.
Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker of the House of Representatives, described the bill as a necessary legal tool to accelerate inclusion and correct historical gender imbalances. He stated, “This is not for pity’s sake but a constitutional mechanism to accelerate gender inclusion.” Also, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, emphasised that the Reserved Seats for Women Bill seeks to guarantee gender balance and promote inclusive governance in Nigeria.
Mrs Mary Ikoku, Founder of the SheThePeople platform, said that the reserved seats for women would ensure inclusive representation and reflect the diversity of Nigerian society. Meanwhile, Aisha Yesufu, a renowned political and human rights activist, during a panel discussion, urged the National Assembly to pass the bill to enable the country to thrive and promote gender equity.
As Nigeria inches closer to another election cycle, stakeholders agree that the conversation must go beyond numbers to genuine inclusion, where women’s contributions are recognised and harnessed for national development.
