Nigeria’s ongoing constitutional review may bring a major change to the country’s political structure, with the National Assembly proposing 74 additional legislative seats for women at the federal level and more reserved positions in state assemblies.
The proposal, if approved, will create 37 new seats in the Senate and another 37 in the House of Representatives. It will also provide three additional seats exclusively for women in every state House of Assembly.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the development on Monday during the 2026 Law Week organised by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ekiti State Chapter.
According to him, the proposed arrangement is part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution and is designed to improve women’s participation in lawmaking and political decision-making.
Under the plan, every state and the Federal Capital Territory will get one additional female representative in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The new positions will not affect the existing seats occupied by elected lawmakers.
Bamidele explained that the proposal would also introduce three reserved positions for women in each state assembly. The arrangement is expected to remain in place for 16 years, covering four election cycles, after which its effectiveness would be reviewed.
He said the National Assembly had taken time to consult relevant stakeholders and build agreement around the proposed changes rather than rush the constitutional amendment process.
The Senate Leader maintained that the initiative was not designed to favour any political party but to address the long-standing gap in women’s representation in Nigerian politics.
He also acknowledged the contributions of prominent advocates, including First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in pushing for greater opportunities for women in governance.
However, Bamidele noted that the proposal still requires the support of state Houses of Assembly before it can become part of the Constitution.
Beyond political representation, he called for stronger laws and policies to protect women, children and persons with disabilities, particularly in areas such as healthcare, education and social welfare.
He further stressed the need to make justice more accessible to victims of domestic violence and child abuse, arguing that affected persons should be able to obtain legal support, medical attention and other necessary assistance without intimidation or discrimination.
The proposal is among the issues being considered in the National Assembly’s ongoing constitutional amendment exercise.
