The National Assembly is considering a constitutional amendment that would create 74 additional seats exclusively for women in the Senate and House of Representatives, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has said.
The proposal also includes the creation of three additional seats reserved for women in each State House of Assembly, without affecting the existing number of elected lawmakers.
Bamidele, who is also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 Law Week of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Ekiti State Chapter.
The programme, organised under the leadership of Ayobami Olowoyo-Richards, had the theme, “Justice in a Changing World: Responding to New Challenges Affecting Women and Children.”
According to Bamidele, the proposed constitutional amendment seeks to improve women’s representation in Nigeria’s legislative institutions and give them greater participation in political decision-making.
He explained that the proposal would provide 37 additional seats in the Senate and another 37 in the House of Representatives, giving each state and the Federal Capital Territory one extra seat in both chambers.
“A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for special seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly and for related matters is receiving our attention at the National Assembly,” he said.
The Senate Leader said the proposal followed extensive consultations and consensus-building, stressing that the ongoing constitutional review was designed to ensure a thorough and inclusive legislative process.
He added that three additional seats had also been proposed for every State House of Assembly, with all the positions exclusively allocated to women.
Bamidele said the arrangement was expected to operate for 16 years, covering four electoral cycles, after which its effectiveness would be reviewed.
He described the proposed duration as a sunset clause intended to promote sustainability while allowing a more inclusive political culture to develop.
The lawmaker further disclosed that the committee was engaging State Houses of Assembly to secure the required legislative approval for the proposed changes to become part of the Constitution.
He maintained that the initiative was not driven by political interests but by the need to address the underrepresentation of women in governance.
According to him, a democratic system that excludes a significant proportion of its population from decision-making cannot achieve genuine representative governance.
Bamidele also acknowledged the advocacy of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and other stakeholders in advancing women’s political inclusion.
Beyond political representation, he called for stronger legal and institutional measures to protect women and children against emerging forms of abuse and violence.
He stressed that justice should go beyond constitutional provisions and statutory guarantees to ensure that victims can access affordable, timely and effective remedies.
“A woman who suffers domestic violence must be able to seek protection without intimidation or social condemnation. A child who experiences abuse must be heard, protected from further harm, and provided with appropriate support,” he said.
He added that victims should have access to legal representation, medical treatment and psychosocial support, while offenders must be held accountable in accordance with due process and the rule of law.
