Lawmakers, Advocates push for women’s political inclusion in Reserved Seats Bill

Nigeria’s long-running push for gender-inclusive governance gained renewed momentum on Monday as Women’s rights advocates, political stakeholders and government officials gathered to demand swift passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill.

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The bill is a constitutional amendment aimed at increasing female representation in Nigeria’s legislatures.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the campaign’s convener Osasu Igbinedion-Oguche, announced that the bill secured endorsements from both the Senate and House of Representatives leadership, the Nigerian Governors Forum, the Governors’ Spouses Forum including unprecedented support across region, religion, and political parties.

Mrs Igbinedion-Oguche also disclosed that the campaign has mobilised more than 10 million Nigerians across the 36 states and the FCT, through what she described as the largest bipartisan grassroots coalition focused on a single constitutional reform in the country’s history.

“This campaign is more than a bill. It’s a blueprint. Legislation does not pass by applause, it passes by pressure, precision, and presence,” she said.

“This is not a women’s issue. It’s a national building imperative, because when countries invest in women’s political leadership, they gain stronger economies, safer communities, and more resilient democracies.”

The bill, known as House Bill 1349, proposes 37 additional Senate seats, 37 in the House of Representatives, and three new seats per state across all 36 state assemblies, exclusively for women.

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It is expected to reach the floor of the National Assembly for a third reading in October, after which it will be transmitted to state assemblies and the President for assent.

‘Representation is not a favour’

According to Mrs Igbinedion-Oguche, women currently hold less than five per cent of elective positions at the federal level.

She said that such figures undermine the country’s democratic ideals and that deliberate measures are needed to close the gap.

She also said the bill is designed to correct a historical injustice and build a stronger democracy.

“A nation that sidelines its women is negotiating with one hand tied behind its back,” she said.

“We have done the math. The cost implication of passing this bill and adding new seats to accommodate women is less than one per cent of the national budget, and for that one per cent, what we gain is immeasurable: balanced governance, inclusive policies, and a reimagining of what leadership can look like.”

Also speaking, Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), stressed that the conversation should not be framed around merit, but around equity.

“Women have never lacked merit. What we have lacked is access,” Ms Essiet said.

“Women will still contest for general seats, but the bill gives us a fighting chance. This is not about charity, it’s about fairness.”

She noted that women represent half of the country’s population and must be part of decision-making processes that affect everyone.

She added that the bill will not limit women to reserved seats but instead create a more equitable environment that allows them to contest both reserved and general positions.

Grassroots inclusion and political will

Responding to concerns from journalists about whether the bill reflects the needs of grassroots women, Mrs Igbinedion-Oguche stressed that the campaign was built from the bottom up.

“We have structures in all 36 states and the FCT, with zonal coordinators engaging directly with market women, farmers, entrepreneurs. This bill is as much for them as it is for women in Abuja.”

She described recent zonal public hearings across the country – six by the Senate and 12 by the House of Representatives – as critical steps in embedding the bill within the ongoing constitutional review process.

Also responding to concerns that the bill could inflate government costs, Mrs Igbinedion-Oguche clarified that the additional legislative seats would increase the national budget by only one per cent.

“One per cent is nothing compared to what we lose when women are excluded from governance. We cannot continue to leave half of our brains behind and expect to compete globally.”

Men backing the bill

Joy Akut, Special Assistant on Youth and Women Affairs to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu noted that prominent male figures in Nigeria’s political leadership have publicly thrown their weight behind the legislation, describing it as both necessary and overdue.

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Ms Akut added that Mr Kalu, who also chairs the House Constitution Review Committee, is one of the supporters of the bill.

She said the inclusion of women in legislative processes is not a favour but a constitutional necessity.

“We cannot continue to make laws that affect half of our population without their voices at the table. Only a woman can tell you where it hurts and this is about bringing women into the room where decisions are made.”

Elisha Attai, Regional Director of Civil Society Organisations, ECOWAS, also praised the growing visibility of male allies, saying, “It’s no longer men supporting women behind closed doors. They are now standing up and showing their faces.”