The League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) has intensified its nationwide campaign urging the passage of a constitutional amendment to create special legislative seats for women in Nigeria’s parliament.
The bill, which recently passed Second Reading in the House of Representatives, proposes one Senate and one House of Representatives seat per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) exclusively for women—adding 74 female lawmakers to the National Assembly. It also provides for three additional women’s seats per State House of Assembly.
Sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and 12 others, the bill aims to address Nigeria’s low ranking in global gender parity. Currently, women hold only four out of 109 Senate seats and remain similarly underrepresented across state and federal legislatures.
“This is not a women’s bill—it’s a democracy-restoring bill,” said NILOWV President Irene Awunah-Ikyegh at a media briefing. “Over half of the population is structurally excluded from governance.”
She clarified that the bill does not guarantee automatic appointments. Women would still undergo party primaries and general elections, contesting only against other women for the reserved seats. The provision is temporary, set to expire after four electoral cycles (16 years).
To counter past failures, NILOWV—supported by UN Women—is launching a grassroots campaign, Her Seat in Parliament, targeting all 774 LGAs and 18 high-resistance states. The strategy includes public education, community mobilization, and engagement with traditional and religious leaders.
Chizoba Ogbeche of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists called for broad public support ahead of July’s public hearings, noting that “more women in parliament means more inclusive and responsive governance.”