Women Storm Abuja, Push for Gender Quotas in Parliament

A coalition of Nigerian women on Monday converged on the National Assembly in Abuja, demanding constitutional reforms to guarantee them dedicated seats in parliament.

The demonstrators, made up of activists, professionals and civil society groups, carried placards and banners as they pressed lawmakers to adopt the Reserved Seats for Women Bill.

The legislation seeks to create special parliamentary slots for women in a bid to correct decades of gender imbalance in Nigeria’s politics.

If passed, the amendment would allocate one female-only seat per State and the Federal Capital Territory, translating to 37 guaranteed positions in the Senate and another 37 in the House of Representatives.

Women currently account for just 4 out of 109 senators and 16 of 360 members in the House, placing Nigeria among the Countries with the lowest female representation Globally.

“This is a corrective measure, not a favour,” said one protest leader. “Our voices and perspectives are critical to building inclusive governance.”

Advocates argue that systemic barriers—including the high cost of election campaigns, entrenched patriarchal culture, and party structures dominated by men—have sidelined women from leadership.

They insist that quotas would help ensure that issues like maternal health, girls’ education and women’s economic empowerment receive proper attention.

While the campaign enjoys support from the Minister of Women Affairs and several rights groups, the proposal faces a steep climb.

Amending the 1999 Constitution requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly as well as ratification by 24 out of 36 state legislatures.

A similar effort collapsed in 2022 after it was voted down in the House of Representatives.

Despite the hurdles, protesters vowed to sustain pressure. “This struggle is about equity and justice,” another participant said. “Nigeria’s democracy will not be complete without women at the table.”