National Assembly considers 74 new seats for women

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 Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the 2026 Law Week organised by the Ekiti chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

Bamidele also revealed that the lawmakers were proposing three additional seats for women in each State House of Assembly.

According to him, the proposed seats would be reserved exclusively for women, meaning that the arrangement would not affect or reduce the number of existing seats occupied through the current electoral system.

The Senate leader, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, explained that the proposal is aimed at increasing women's involvement in politics and giving them more opportunities to participate in decisions affecting the country.

Under the proposal, the Senate would get 37 additional seats for women while another 37 seats would be created in the House of Representatives.

This means that each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would have one additional female representative in both Chambers of the National Assembly if the proposal is eventually approved.

Bamidele further explained that the arrangement would remain in place for 16 years, covering four electoral cycles, after which the lawmakers would carry out a comprehensive review to determine its effectiveness.