The National Assembly is considering a proposal to create 74 additional seats for women in the Senate and House of Representatives as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has said.
Bamidele, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 Law Week organised by the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Ekiti State Chapter.
He said the proposed constitutional amendment would also provide three additional seats for women in each State House of Assembly, with the positions reserved exclusively for women without affecting the existing electoral seats.
According to the senator, the initiative is aimed at improving women’s representation in Nigeria’s political and governance structures.
“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,” Bamidele said.
He explained that the proposal emerged from extensive consultations and consensus-building, adding that the committee had adopted a deliberate approach to ensure a comprehensive constitutional reform process.
“The proposal, as it stands, is meticulous in its design. It seeks to add 37 seats in the Senate and 37 seats in the House of Representatives. This suggests that if finally approved, each state of the federation, including FCT, will have one additional seat in each of the Houses of the National Assembly,” he added.
The Senate leader also said the committee had proposed three additional seats for women in every state assembly, noting that the arrangement would remain in place for 16 years, covering four electoral cycles, before a comprehensive review.
“This arrangement is proposed to run for a period of 16 years, four electoral cycles, before a comprehensive review.
This is a sunset clause designed to ensure sustainability and to allow for the organic development of a more inclusive political culture,” the senator said.
Bamidele stressed that the proposal was not politically motivated but intended to address the underrepresentation of women in decision-making, adding that the committee was engaging state assemblies to secure the necessary approval for the constitutional amendment.
He said the initiative had received support from key government figures, including First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, while emphasising the need for laws and policies that protect women, children and other vulnerable groups.
Speaking on justice and the protection of vulnerable persons, the lawmaker said victims of domestic violence and child abuse should have access to legal assistance, healthcare and psychosocial support, while offenders must face justice in accordance with the law.
