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Summary
The Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349) has been postponed in the National Assembly. It did not take place because of coordination challenges among lawmakers and the need for broader mobilisation across states.
A long-awaited effort to boost female representation in Nigeria’s legislature has suffered yet another setback, as the Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349) voting has been postponed in the National Assembly.
The bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to create dedicated legislative seats for women in both national and state assemblies, passed its second reading in the House of Representatives in July 2024. It aims to introduce 74 additional seats across the Senate, House of Representatives, and state assemblies, all reserved exclusively for women, in a bid to raise female representation beyond the current 5%.
Despite growing momentum, lawmakers have yet to vote on the bill. A vote initially slated for November 4 to 6, 2025, did not take place as the delay stems from coordination challenges among lawmakers and the need for broader mobilisation across states.
The bill, if passed, would raise female representation to about 20% at the federal level, 17% in the House of Representatives and 25% in the Senate. However, these figures still fall short of the United Nations’ 30% benchmark for women’s inclusion in leadership.
It is still unclear when the bill will move forward. As of December 2025, the Reserved Seats for Women Bill remains stuck at its second reading in the House of Representatives and has not progressed in the Senate.
