NEWS
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Seeks Creation of 157 Special Seats to Boost Women’s Representation in Nigeria
A major constitutional amendment currently under consideration is proposing a significant expansion of women’s participation in Nigeria’s legislative bodies through the creation of 157 additional elective seats reserved exclusively for women across the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
The proposal outlines the introduction of 12 new seats in the Senate, 37 additional seats in the House of Representatives, and three extra seats for women in each of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, bringing the total number of new state-level legislative positions to 108.
Designed as a temporary affirmative action measure aimed at correcting the longstanding underrepresentation of women in political leadership, the bill also introduces an indirect election system through Electoral Colleges to be supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Under the arrangement, the Senate will retain its existing structure of three senators per state and one for the Federal Capital Territory, while expanding representation through two additional women-only seats per geo-political zone. This framework is expected to produce 12 female senators in total, with rotational allocation among states within each zone as determined by future legislation.
In the House of Representatives, membership would increase from 360 to 397, with the creation of one additional women-only seat per state and the FCT. These seats are designed as special constituencies outside the traditional constituency delimitation system.
At the state level, each House of Assembly would gain three additional women-reserved seats, with one allocated to each senatorial district within every state, reinforcing gender inclusion across sub-national legislatures.
Eligibility for the special seats would be limited to female candidates sponsored by registered political parties who meet constitutional requirements for legislative office. Unlike conventional elections decided by direct voting, winners would emerge through Electoral Colleges composed of elected local government officials, councillors, state and federal legislators from the relevant areas. In the Federal Capital Territory, Area Council representatives would take the place of local government officials.
Each Electoral College member would have one vote, with elections conducted by secret ballot under INEC’s supervision to ensure transparency and credibility.
The proposed legislation further stipulates that women elected through this arrangement would enjoy equal tenure, privileges, rights, immunities, and responsibilities as their counterparts elected through standard electoral processes. It also introduces a structured recall system, requiring at least half of Electoral College members to initiate a petition, followed by a two-thirds majority vote through secret ballot after verification by INEC.
The amendment additionally seeks to revise several constitutional provisions relating to recall procedures, electoral timelines, election petitions, constituency delineation, and the powers of INEC. It also introduces formal definitions for terms such as additional special seat, electoral college, and geo-political zone, while constitutionally recognizing the country’s six geo-political zones and their constituent states.
According to the explanatory framework accompanying the proposal, the initiative is intended as a time-bound intervention to strengthen gender balance in governance. The arrangement would take effect from the first general election after its passage and is expected to undergo review after 16 years.