By Becky Momodu
As the push for Reserved Seats for women in the Nigerian Parliament continues to gather momentum, women groups are set to converge in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, 22nd September, 2025.
The Nigerian women, numbering over 750, representing all 36 states and the FCT, are submitting a memorandum in support of the passage of the Special Seats Reserved for Women Bill.
The women will assemble at the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development early in the morning. From there, they will embark on a peaceful walk to the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, where the leadership of the National Assembly is expected to receive their memorandum during a stakeholder meeting.
Ebere Ifendu, Chair of the Women’s Political Participation–Technical Working Group (WPP–TWG), said though the National Assembly is currently in recess, Nigerian women remain resolute in presenting their memorandum to the leadership.
According to her, the peaceful walk represents a unified national action by women determined to secure their rightful place in governance.
Ebere explained that the Reserved Seats Bill is not just about numbers, but about securing women’s rightful place in governance and ensuring that the voices of Nigerian women are heard where decisions that affect their lives are made.
She further urged the media to sustain their support. “An ally we’ve had so far in this journey in getting the Special Seats Reserved for Women Bill is the media. Now at this critical moment, we need the media to forge ahead as a true ally to raise critical awareness on the bill for the legislators to pass it.”
Abuja Times reports that the Bill is seeking an amendment to the 1999 Constitution to provide reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
Recall that a women group, Women’s Collective Forum, on Wednesday last week paid a courtesy visit to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, requesting the Commission’s support for women inclusiveness in governance.
The group, led by Amb. Nkoyo Toyo urged INEC to press the newly registered parties to outline clear inclusion strategies.