Civil society organisations under the Reserved Seats for Women Bill Campaign Coalition have urged the National Assembly to urgently conclude work on the proposed legislation to create 182 additional seats for women, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The coalition made the call in a statement on Sunday and was signed by its Communications Lead, Hammed Adejare.
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It made the statement following the release of the 2027 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.
INEC had announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on Saturday, 20 February 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, 6 March 2027.
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The publication of the timetable, the coalition noted, has formally triggered the countdown to the next electoral cycle and narrowed the window for constitutional amendments that must precede it.
According to the coalition, the release of the electoral calendar provides clarity for political parties, aspirants, institutions and voters.
However, it also signals the urgency for lawmakers to conclude deliberations on House Bill 1349 and Senate Bill 550, twin constitutional amendment bills seeking to establish 182 reserved seats for women in the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the State Houses of Assembly.
Under the proposal, one additional seat would be created for women in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, in both chambers of the National Assembly and in state assemblies.
The seats are designed as special constituencies to be contested exclusively by female candidates, without displacing existing lawmakers or altering current federal and state constituency structures.
The coalition described the measure as a “time-bound corrective mechanism” intended to operate for an initial 16-year period. After that period, the National Assembly would review its impact and determine whether further extension is necessary.
Progress at the National Assembly
The proposed amendment forms part of the ongoing constitutional review process being undertaken by the 10th National Assembly.
In the House of Representatives, HB 1349 has scaled second reading and was referred to its Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action, including public hearings and harmonisation with related proposals.
In the Senate, SB 550 has also undergone second reading and awaits further consideration at the committee level.
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As a constitutional alteration bill, it must secure the support of at least two-thirds of members of both chambers and be approved by not less than 24 state Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted for presidential assent.
With the 2027 elections now formally scheduled, any amendment intended to take effect before the polls must be finalised well before party primaries and candidate nominations.
Low female representation
Nigeria continues to rank among countries with the lowest levels of female parliamentary representation globally. Women currently occupy less than five per cent of seats in the National Assembly, a figure that has declined in recent election cycles.
The coalition said this persistent imbalance reflects entrenched structural barriers, including high campaign costs, political violence, party gatekeeping practices and socio-cultural norms that limit women’s access to political power.
“This enduring imbalance is not merely statistics; it reflects structural barriers that weaken representative governance and erode public confidence in democratic institutions,” the statement said.
It added that women across Nigeria’s 36 states are prepared to contest, lead and serve, but require deliberate institutional reforms to ensure equitable participation.
The coalition challenged the 469 lawmakers of the 10th National Assembly to act with urgency and responsibility.
It urged the leadership of both chambers to prioritise and fast-track the passage of SB 550 and HB 1349 within the remaining legislative timeframe to avoid approaching the 2027 general elections with what it described as longstanding structural inequities.
“The moment for reform is now. The electoral clock is ticking,” the statement concluded.
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