Nigeria’s National Assembly is considering a constitutional amendment that would create 74 additional seats for women in the Senate and House of Representatives, alongside three reserved seats for women in each State House of Assembly.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed the proposal on Monday, November 2, 2026, during the 2026 Law Week organised by the Ekiti State chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Bamidele, who is also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the initiative was designed to improve women’s representation in Nigeria’s political institutions without displacing existing elected lawmakers.
Under the proposal, 37 additional seats would be created in the Senate and another 37 in the House of Representatives. This would provide one additional seat in each chamber for every state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
The constitution review committee has also proposed three additional seats reserved for women in every State House of Assembly.
According to Bamidele, the proposed arrangement would operate for 16 years, covering four electoral cycles, after which a comprehensive review would be conducted. The proposed time limit is intended to provide an opportunity to strengthen women’s political participation while allowing the country to assess the effectiveness of the special representation system.
He described the initiative as the outcome of extensive consultations and consensus-building, stressing that the National Assembly had begun the constitutional review process early to allow for detailed consideration rather than rushed reforms.
Bamidele said the success of the proposal would depend partly on engagement with state legislatures, whose approval is constitutionally required for amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
He expressed confidence that the proposal could secure the required two-thirds support from state assemblies, although the amendment has not yet completed the legislative process.
The Senate leader argued that improving women’s representation was essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, noting that women make up a substantial portion of the population but remain underrepresented in elected political offices.
He also acknowledged advocacy from prominent figures, including First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in support of greater inclusion and legislative action on issues affecting women and children.
Beyond political representation, Bamidele called for stronger legal and institutional protections for women and children facing abuse and other forms of vulnerability. He said justice must be accessible, affordable, timely and effective, with victims able to obtain legal assistance, medical care and psychosocial support.
He added that perpetrators of abuse must be held accountable in accordance with due process and the rule of law.
The proposed special seats represent a significant potential change to Nigeria’s political structure. If approved, they would increase the number of legislative positions while establishing a temporary constitutional mechanism intended to address women’s longstanding underrepresentation.
However, the proposal remains under consideration. Its implementation will depend on the completion of the constitutional amendment process and the required approvals from the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
