The House of Representatives has proposed a landmark constitutional amendment aimed at increasing political inclusion by reserving 10 per cent of National Assembly seats for women and five per cent for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The proposal, unveiled by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during the official opening of the 2025 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, would result in the creation of 83 additional seats exclusively for women.
Under the plan, the House of Representatives would expand from 360 to 415 seats, while the Senate would grow from 109 to 137, bringing the total number of lawmakers in the National Assembly from 469 to 552.
According to Abbas, the goal is to embed gender and disability quotas into the Constitution to ensure sustainable representation. He said the reserved seats for women would be contested through direct elections, with the seats allocated across states to promote regional balance.
In a further push for inclusivity, the amendment also proposes that five per cent of current seats in both chambers be set aside for persons with disabilities. Candidates for these seats would be nominated by recognised disability advocacy groups.
