WOMEN LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION: A MAJOR CONCERN IN OUR GOVERNANCE

 

Reserved Seats For Women Is Not A Gift But An Overdue National Imperative

Nigeria stands today as a nation of more than 220 million people, almost equally divided between men and women. Yet, when you step into our legislative chambers, the Senate, House of Representatives, or the State Houses of Assembly, it becomes painfully clear that one half of this population is nearly invisible. This invisibility is not accidental. It is the direct outcome of decades of systemic, cultural, and institutional barriers that have kept women away from political decision-making.

This is why the push for reserved seats for women must not be misinterpreted as charity or political benevolence. It is not a gift. It is justice long delayed. It is a necessary corrective to a democracy that has for too long sidelined the voices, experiences, and leadership of half its citizens.

Nigeria remains one of the lowest-ranking countries in the world when it comes to women’s legislative representation. In the current 10th National Assembly: only 4 women sit in the 109-member Senate. Only about 15–17 women hold seats out of 360 in the House of Representatives. Across the 36 states, only 45 women hold seats out of 991 state legislators.

These figures translate to roughly 4.5 percent female representation nationwide, a staggering democratic imbalance. Even more troubling, as many as 15 states currently have zero women in their Houses of Assembly.

These numbers paint a bleak picture, one that should concern every Nigerian who desires a more inclusive and prosperous nation. When women are absent from law-making, issues that uniquely or disproportionately affect them, maternal health, gender-based violence, education for girls, economic inclusion, and social welfare, often receive weak, inconsistent, or delayed legislative attention.

Around the world, countries that once struggled with low female representation, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, India, all employed structural measures such as reserved seats, quota systems, or dedicated party lists to correct historical imbalances. The results speak for themselves: stronger democracies, improved governance outcomes, and more resilient development systems.

Nigeria cannot continue pretending that women will simply “find their way” into politics on an uneven playing field. Patriarchy, political violence, monetized nomination processes, entrenched party hierarchies, and cultural stereotypes have made entry into politics exceedingly difficult for women.

Reserved seats do not give women an unfair advantage, they remove a historical disadvantage. They are a necessary intervention to ensure that the National Assembly and State Assemblies begin to reflect the diversity, realities, and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

The ongoing constitutional amendment proposal seeking to reserve a percentage of legislative seats for women is a step in the right direction. Expanding the Senate and House of Representatives to include constitutionally protected women’s seats creates a pathway for sustainable participation, mentorship, and continuity for future generations of female leaders.

More importantly, it strengthens our democracy. A legislature that excludes women cannot claim to truly represent the people.

This is not a women’s issue; this is a national issue. The presence of women in decision-making enriches debate, deepens empathy in policy outcomes, and ensures that governance reflects the lived realities of all citizens. No country advances by muting the voices of half its population.

We must therefore approach the demand for reserved seats not with hesitation or condescension, but with urgency. With conviction. With the understanding that Nigeria cannot build the future it desires while shutting women out of the rooms where decisions about that future are made.

I particularly commend the efforts of Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack and her Women of Words (WOW) 2025 – All Creative Hub, with the theme: “Unreserved for Reserved Seats: The Role of Women in Policymaking Towards Ending GBV.” Their consistency and dedication in advocating for reserved seats for women remain truly exemplary.

Reserved seats for women are not a gift. They are a democratic necessity, and Nigeria’s time to act is now.

MaduWuAgu

Shalom!