
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has initiated a nationwide campaign aimed at mobilizing citizens at the state and community levels in support of the Reserved Seats in Parliament for Women Bill currently before the Joint Constitutional Reform Committees of the National Assembly.
This initiative, supported by UN Women Nigeria and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is part of the broader project titled “Advancing Women’s Inclusion and Representation in Leadership and Political Processes in Nigeria.” The program will be rolled out across nine states: Anambra, Enugu (South East), Edo (South South), Oyo (South West), Kogi (North Central), Adamawa (North East), as well as Sokoto, Kano, and Jigawa (North West). When it gains momentum, women seats in parliament is expected to increase significantly.
FIDA Nigeria’s Country Vice President, Mrs. Eliana Martins, highlighted that the campaign’s goal is to foster public consensus and advocate for constitutional amendments that will secure special reserved seats for women in both Nigeria’s National and State Assemblies. “Our aim is to engage stakeholders through regular consultations, co-create solutions, and consolidate community input into a draft memorandum to be presented during public hearings at the National Assembly,” Martins stated.
The initiative aspires to implement 37 additional reserved seats each in the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives, as well as up to 108 reserved seats in State Houses of Assembly.
Mr. Fikih Obaro, Senior Manager for Programs and Partnerships at FIDA Nigeria, underscored that the effort is focused on establishing a gender-responsive legal framework through strategic collaborations with governmental and non-governmental actors. He emphasized the project’s core objective: “to strengthen advocacy for exclusive women’s representation, paving the way for inclusive and equitable governance across Nigeria.”
“Increasing public awareness and support in advancing women’s political participation and representation through the constitutional amendment process is crucial,” Obaro added. “We aim to aggregate demands and advocacy asks through a draft memorandum from citizens, towards improving women’s representation in governance and the political process. Our goal is to secure commitments from the National and State Houses of Assembly by creating a pathway for 74 additional exclusive Special Seats for Women at the National Assembly and 108 Seats at the State Houses of Assembly through the Constitutional Amendment/Review process.”
Mrs. Martins encouraged the public to rally behind all initiatives that promote the increased representation and participation of women in Nigerian politics, reinforcing the importance of women’s voices in governance.