The National Assembly has proposed the creation of 74 additional legislative seats for women as part of efforts to address their underrepresentation in Nigeria’s political institutions.
The proposal which is contained in a constitutional amendment bill provides for 37 additional seats in the Senate and 37 in the House of Representatives with one seat reserved for women in each state and the Federal Capital Territory.
Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the 2026 Law Week of the International Federation of Women Lawyers Ekiti State Chapter in Ado-Ekiti.
Bamidele who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District said that the proposed amendment was designed to promote women’s participation in governance and ensure they had a stronger voice in decisions affecting the country.
He explained that the arrangement would not displace the existing legislative seats but would provide additional representation for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
According to him the proposal also provides for three additional seats for women in each State House of Assembly and is expected to run for 16 years covering four electoral cycles after which its impact would be reviewed.
Describing the initiative as a historic intervention rather than a partisan project the Senate Leader said a democracy that excluded a significant proportion of its population from decision-making could not be considered fully representative.
‘A democracy that systematically excludes over half of its population from the decision-making tables that determine their future is at best a flawed democracy and at worst a veiled oligarchy’ he said.
The Senate Leader disclosed that the National Assembly had begun engagements with State Houses of Assembly to secure constitutionally required concurrence for the proposed amendment.
He said that the process was being pursued through consultations and consensus-building adding that the legislature was determined to address the longstanding gap in women’s political representation.
He commended the advocacy of the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and said that the 10th National Assembly was irrevocably committed to promoting inclusive governance.
He also identified globalisation artificial intelligence digitalisation insecurity economic instability and climate change as emerging challenges that had increased the vulnerability of women and children.
He said that women continued to face gender-based violence economic exclusion discrimination and inadequate healthcare while children remained exposed to sexual abuse trafficking child labour early marriage malnutrition educational deprivation and digital exploitation.
Bamidele attributed some of the challenges to poverty inadequate social protection unemployment educational inequalities social stigma and weak enforcement of existing laws.
He noted that protecting women and children was not merely a humanitarian responsibility but a constitutional obligation and an investment in national development economic productivity and social stability.
The lawmaker also highlighted some legislative interventions of the 10th Assembly including the four Tax Reform Acts of 2025 which he said exempted sanitary products baby diapers and other essential products for women and children from Value Added Tax.
He described the measure as an intervention aimed at reducing the financial burden on low-income women and families.
Bamidele further disclosed that the National Assembly was considering the National Hospital for Women and Children Abuja (Amendment) Bill 2026 to strengthen the institution’s capacity to provide specialised healthcare services.
He however said the effectiveness of legislation depended on its implementation stressing that justice must be accessible affordable timely and effective for victims of abuse.
He called for stronger collaboration among the legislature executive judiciary security agencies social welfare institutions religious organisations traditional rulers civil society groups and the private sector to improve the protection of women and children.
The Senate Leader urged FIDA to engage the National Assembly in identifying gaps in existing laws proposing reforms and ensuring that government policies and budgetary provisions translated into tangible benefits.
He also challenged the organisation to hold the legislature accountable for the proposed special seats arrangement and adequate funding for child protection women’s healthcare and gender empowerment programmes.
The Vice-Chancellor of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti Professor Smaranda Olarinde called for stronger legal and institutional frameworks to protect women and children against emerging forms of abuse.
Olarinde warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence and digital platforms had created new threats including cyberstalking online harassment deepfake images impersonation and the exploitation of children.
She called for stronger collaboration among government institutions the judiciary security agencies universities religious and traditional leaders the media and civil society organisations to tackle gender-based violence and child abuse.
The vice-chancellor urged FIDA to move beyond advocacy by developing measurable interventions proposing a collaborative Women and Children Access to Justice Action Framework to improve legal protection digital safety and support for survivors.
The Chief Judge of Ekiti State Justice Lekan Ogunmoye commended FIDA for choosing Bamidele to speak on the subject describing him as well positioned to address emerging issues requiring legislative and policy reforms to protect women and children.