The National Assembly has proposed 74 additional seats for women in the Senate and House of Representatives, alongside three reserved seats in each state House of Assembly, to address the underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s political system.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 Law Week organised by the Ekiti State chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District and is Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the proposal formed part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
He explained that the initiative would create 37 additional seats each in the Senate and House of Representatives, ensuring that every state and the Federal Capital Territory gets one reserved seat for women in each chamber.
The proposal also provides for three additional seats reserved for women in every state House of Assembly, without displacing existing elected lawmakers.
According to Bamidele, the arrangement would run for 16 years, covering four electoral cycles, before a comprehensive review.
He said the proposed constitutional amendment was designed to dismantle barriers to women’s political participation and promote a more inclusive democratic system.
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The Senate leader described the initiative as a product of extensive consultations and consensus-building, stressing that it was not a partisan project but a constitutional intervention to address gender imbalance in political representation.
He added that the National Assembly was engaging state Houses of Assembly to secure the constitutional approval required to implement the reform.
Bamidele also called for stronger legislative and institutional measures to protect women, children and persons with disabilities, particularly through improved access to healthcare, education and social protection.
He stressed that victims of domestic violence and child abuse must have access to legal assistance, medical care and psychosocial support, while perpetrators should be held accountable under the law.
He urged FIDA to strengthen its engagement with the National Assembly by identifying gaps in existing legislation and proposing reforms that would improve the protection of vulnerable Nigerians.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, called for stronger legal frameworks to address emerging threats against women and children, particularly those enabled by technology.
She identified cyberstalking, online harassment, deepfake images, impersonation and child exploitation as growing concerns requiring coordinated action by government institutions, law enforcement agencies, universities and civil society organisations.
The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, commended Bamidele’s role in addressing emerging issues affecting women and children through legislative and policy reforms.
In her remarks, FIDA Ekiti Chairperson, Ayobami Olowoyo-Richards, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to protecting the rights of women and children, calling for stronger laws and institutions to ensure accessible and effective justice.
