Sola Adeyemo 
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has launched a major advocacy campaign aimed at galvanizing citizen support for the passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill currently under consideration by the Joint Constitutional Reform Committees of the National Assembly.
Supported by UN Women Nigeria and funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the initiative is part of the “Advancing Women’s Inclusion and Representation in Leadership and Political Processes in Nigeria” project.
The campaign is being implemented across nine states representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones: Anambra, Enugu (South East), Edo (South South), Oyo (South West), Kogi (North Central), Adamawa (North East), and Sokoto, Kano, and Jigawa (North West).
In a statement issued in Ibadan, FIDA’s Vice President, Mrs. Eliana Martins, explained that the project is designed to promote inclusive governance by supporting campaigns and advocacy efforts for constitutional provisions on the reservation of special seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
Martins emphasized that the initiative seeks to deepen public discourse around gender parity in political representation and ensure multi-stakeholder engagement at both state and grassroots levels. The goal, she said, is to facilitate the co-creation of a citizens’ memorandum that will be presented during public hearings of the constitutional amendment process.
“Through regular engagement, stakeholders will collate unified demands that will feed into a draft memorandum, ensuring grassroots voices are reflected in the push for inclusive governance,” Martins stated.
Speaking further, FIDA Nigeria’s Senior Manager for Programs and Partnerships, Mr. Fikih Obaro, noted that the core objective of the initiative is to secure constitutional amendments that would allocate 37 additional exclusive seats for women in the Senate and House of Representatives, totaling 74, alongside 108 special seats across State Assemblies.
Obaro outlined four primary goals of the campaign: Strengthen strategic advocacy for gender-inclusive legal reforms through partnerships with state and non-state actors.
Increase public awareness and mobilize support for women’s political participation via constitutional reforms.
Aggregate citizens’ demands into a draft memorandum advocating for improved women’s representation in governance.
Secure legislative commitments at both national and state levels for the creation of special seats for women through constitutional review.
FIDA Nigeria urged the public, civil society, and political stakeholders to support the initiative, stressing the importance of women’s representation in achieving inclusive and sustainable development.
“Supporting the Reserved Seats for Women Bill is not just a step toward gender equity; it is a commitment to strengthening democracy and ensuring that all voices are represented in Nigeria’s governance structure,” Martins added.
