National Assembly Proposes 74 New Seats for Women in Politics

The National Assembly has proposed the creation of 74 additional seats exclusively for women in Nigeria's Senate and House of Representatives, aiming to improve women's representation in political leadership. Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), the Leader of the Senate and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, announced this initiative during the 2026 Law Week organized by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Ekiti State.

The proposal includes 37 additional seats each for women in both the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as three additional seats for women in each State House of Assembly. Bamidele explained that this arrangement would not displace existing electoral seats and is designed to operate for 16 years, allowing for a comprehensive review after four electoral cycles.

He emphasized that the initiative is a constitutional reform aimed at fostering an inclusive political culture and is not a partisan effort. The National Assembly is currently engaging State Houses of Assembly for their concurrence on the proposed amendment.