The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has raised alarm over the poor representation of women in Nigeria’s legislative houses, revealing that women currently occupy only 4.5% of seats in the National Assembly.
She stated this on Wednesday at the first interactive dialogue session on the Special Seats Bill for Women, held in Abuja.
Represented by the APC Women Leader, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, she said the country’s failure to ensure fair representation for its women remains a democratic deficit that must be urgently addressed.
According to her, “In our current 10th National Assembly, there are only 4 women in the Senate and 17 in the House of Representatives – just 21 women out of 469 legislators. That represents a mere 4.5% of total membership.”
She further noted that at the state level, only 48 women were elected into State Houses of Assembly in 2023, out of over 1,000 female candidates.
“Even more alarming,” she added, “is that 13 states—Abia, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Osun, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara—currently have no female legislators at all.”
The Minister called for national introspection, questioning who would represent the unique experiences and needs of Nigerian women if they remain absent from decision-making tables.
“When no woman sits at the table, their stories remain untold, their needs unmet, their futures uncertain,” she said. “If not women, who? If not now, when will justice finally come?”
Describing the Special Seats Bill as “not a favour to women but a national necessity,” she said the legislation is a “constitutional corrective” needed to make Nigeria’s democracy truly representative.
“The Special Seats Bill will not just empower women,” she added, “it will strengthen homes, inform policy, nurture peace, and ignite the full genius of our nation. This is not a woman’s fight. It is Nigeria’s opportunity.”
The Minister extended appreciation to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, for bringing the issue of Special Seats to the national spotlight.
She also commended the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for his “undaunting commitment” to the Bill, as well as the chairpersons of the Committees on Women Affairs Senator Ireti Kingibe, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, and Hon. Fati Talba—for their tireless advocacy.
Special recognition was given to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for promoting inclusive development through the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The event, which brought together lawmakers, civil society, and the media, ended with a call for collective action to ensure the passage of the Special Seats Bill and to secure a more equitable future for Nigerian women.
