Women’s Coalition Calls on NASS to Approve Reserved Seats Bill Ahead of 2027 Elections

A coalition of civil society groups advocating for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill has urged the National Assembly to quickly finalize the proposed legislation to establish 182 reserved seats for women ahead of the general elections scheduled for 2027.

The call was made in a statement released on Sunday by the coalition's Communications Lead, Hammed Adejare.

This appeal follows the recent announcement of the 2027 election timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.

INEC indicated that the presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 20, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are set for Saturday, March 6, 2027.

The coalition noted that the publication of the election timetable officially marks the countdown to the next electoral cycle, thus limiting the timeframe for any necessary constitutional modifications.

The electoral calendar's announcement is seen as providing essential clarity to political organizations, aspirants, governmental bodies, and voters.

Furthermore, the coalition highlighted the urgent need for lawmakers to finalize discussions on House Bill 1349 and Senate Bill 550, both of which aim to create 182 reserved seats for women in the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the State Houses of Assembly.

Each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would have one additional seat dedicated to female candidates in both chambers and state assemblies, designed as special constituencies that would not displace existing lawmakers or alter current electoral structures.

Describing the proposal as a “time-bound corrective mechanism,” the coalition stated it would operate initially for a period of 16 years, at which point the National Assembly would assess its impact and decide whether to extend it further.

This proposed amendment is part of the ongoing constitutional review process by the 10th National Assembly. In the House of Representatives, Bill HB 1349 has progressed to its second reading and has been referred to the Committee on Constitution Review for additional legislative action, including public hearings and alignment with related proposals. Similarly, Senate Bill 550 has also reached its second reading and is awaiting further committee review.

As a constitutional amendment, both bills require the backing of two-thirds of the members in both chambers and approval by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before being forwarded for presidential assent.

Given that the 2027 elections are now officially scheduled, any desired amendments to take effect prior to the elections must be completed well in advance of party primaries and candidate nominations.

Currently, Nigeria ranks among the lowest globally in terms of female parliamentary representation, with women holding less than five percent of seats in the National Assembly—a percentage that has steadily decreased in recent election cycles.

The coalition attributed this ongoing disparity to persistent structural barriers, including the high costs of campaigning, political violence, restrictive practices by political parties, and socio-cultural norms that limit women’s access to power.

“This persistent imbalance is not just a statistic; it represents structural obstacles that weaken representative governance and diminish public confidence in democratic institutions,” the coalition's statement read.

It emphasized that women from all 36 states in Nigeria are prepared to contest and serve but need intentional reforms to ensure fair involvement in the political sphere.

The group is calling on all 469 lawmakers in the 10th National Assembly to act decisively and expeditiously. They urged the leadership of both chambers to prioritize and expedite the passage of Senate Bill 550 and House Bill 1349 within the available legislative timeframe, to avoid entering the 2027 general elections with enduring structural inequities.

“The time for reform is now. The electoral clock is ticking,” the coalition concluded.