The Executive Director of HEIR Women Hub, Añuli Aniebo, has expressed strong support for the proposed Reserved Seats Bill for Women, describing it as a crucial step toward correcting Nigeria’s long-standing gender imbalance in political representation and strengthening the country’s democracy.
Speaking amid growing advocacy for the constitutional amendment, Aniebo said Nigeria’s democratic system cannot achieve its full potential while women—who constitute nearly half of the population—remain largely excluded from legislative decision-making.
She observed that Nigeria ranks among the lowest countries globally in terms of women’s representation in politics, with women occupying only a small fraction of seats in both the National Assembly and state legislatures.
According to available data, women currently hold less than six percent of seats in Nigeria’s parliament, a figure far below the global average of about 26.5 percent.
Aniebo stressed that the Reserved Seats Bill is not about offering political favours to women but about ensuring fairness and strengthening democratic governance.
“The Reserved Seats Bill is not about charity for women; it is about justice, representation and the strengthening of democracy,” she said.
“When women are absent from legislative spaces, policies affecting families, health, education and vulnerable communities are shaped without the voices of those most affected.”
She explained that the proposed legislation would help dismantle several structural barriers that have historically limited women’s participation in politics including: the high cost of contesting elections, entrenched political patronage systems and cultural biases that discourage or prevent women from seeking elective office.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to introduce additional legislative seats specifically reserved for women, without removing or replacing existing lawmakers.
Under the proposal, each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would have one additional Senate seat reserved for women, while each state and the FCT would also have two additional seats in the House of Representatives reserved for women.
Aniebo said the measure would create institutional pathways for competent women leaders who have long been excluded from the political system.
“Women in Nigeria are already leading communities, running businesses, mediating conflicts and sustaining families. What this bill does is open the door for those same women to bring their experience into national policymaking.”
She also pointed out that the adoption of the bill would place Nigeria among countries that have successfully implemented similar mechanisms to accelerate women’s political participation.
“For instance, Rwanda has the highest female parliamentary representation in the world, with women occupying over 60 percent of seats. Uganda guarantees a woman representative for each district in parliament, while Tanzania maintains special parliamentary seats that ensure women hold more than one-third of legislative positions.
“Similarly, Kenya created women’s representative seats for each county, while South Africa and Senegal have recorded more than 40 percent female representation through gender quota systems.
According to Aniebo, increasing women’s representation in parliament could significantly transform policymaking and governance outcomes.
She explained that countries with higher female representation often enact stronger legislation on maternal health, education, family welfare and child protection. “Inclusive governance is also strengthened when women are present in decision-making spaces because they bring different perspectives, especially on issues affecting vulnerable groups,” she added.
Aniebo further noted that research has shown that inclusive leadership structures tend to encourage economic growth, innovation and improved social policies.
She also highlighted the role women play in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, noting that increased female participation in governance has been linked to more sustainable peace initiatives.
According to her, passing the Reserved Seats Bill would also help Nigeria fulfil its national and international commitments to gender equality, including the widely discussed 35 percent affirmative action target for women in governance.
She therefore urged members of the National Assembly and state legislatures to support the constitutional amendment process, describing it as an opportunity for Nigeria to align itself with progressive democracies around the world. “Nigeria cannot claim to be the giant of Africa while women remain largely excluded from leadership.
“Passing the Reserved Seats Bill will send a powerful message that our democracy is ready to represent everyone,” she concluded.
