ABUJA, Nigeria — Proposed amendments to Nigeria’s Constitution would create 160 additional legislative seats reserved exclusively for women across the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, as lawmakers seek to improve female representation in governance through a temporary affirmative action framework.
Okay News reports that the proposed changes would add 12 special seats for women in the Senate, 37 in the House of Representatives and 111 across the 36 State Houses of Assembly, bringing the total number of new seats to 160. The additional positions would exist alongside current constituency-based seats and would be filled through an Electoral College system rather than direct elections.
Under the proposal, the Senate would retain its existing structure of three senators per state and one for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while introducing two additional women senators from each of the six geo-political zones. These 12 seats would rotate among states within each zone according to arrangements to be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly. The House of Representatives would continue to have its 360 constituency-based members, with one additional woman representative elected from each state and the FCT, creating 37 new seats.
For State Houses of Assembly, the amendment would preserve existing constituency arrangements while adding three women lawmakers per state, one representing each senatorial district. This would result in 111 new seats nationwide. The special seats would not be subject to existing constitutional rules governing constituency delimitation or legislative size limits.
The proposed framework provides that all additional seats would be filled through indirect elections conducted and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Electoral Colleges comprising elected local government chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, councillors, members of State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives members and senators from each state would vote by secret ballot to elect candidates nominated by registered political parties.
To qualify, candidates must be women and satisfy the constitutional requirements applicable to the legislative chamber they seek to join. Those elected would enjoy the same tenure, privileges, rights, immunities and responsibilities as lawmakers occupying regular constituency seats.
The amendment also introduces special recall procedures for holders of the new seats. Unlike conventional recall processes, a petition signed by at least half of the relevant Electoral College members would be required, followed by INEC verification and approval by at least two-thirds of the Electoral College through a secret ballot.
According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill, the initiative is designed as a temporary special measure aimed at strengthening women’s participation in governance and promoting inclusive representation. The provisions would take effect from the first general election following commencement and would be subject to review after 16 years.
The proposal further includes consequential amendments to multiple sections of the Constitution, including provisions relating to legislative elections, constituency definitions, election petitions, recall procedures and INEC’s responsibilities. It also formally incorporates Nigeria’s six geo-political zones into the Constitution through a new schedule.
