The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has announced its endorsement of the bill advocating for special legislative seats for women in both national and state legislative assemblies, aiming to enhance equal representation and promote gender balance within Nigeria’s leadership framework.

According to a communique signed by Kwara State Governor Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq, who is also the chairman of the NGF, and released after the 5th meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, the governors reiterated their commitment to promoting equity in Nigeria’s leadership structure.

This is happening alongside the ongoing constitution amendment process, which includes a proposal for the Special Seats Bill. The bill is intended to increase women’s representation in parliament, as Nigeria currently has 20 women among its 469 federal lawmakers, representing just under 5%.

Civil society organisations and development organisations have requested changes to the current situation. As a response, a bill is presently before the National Assembly that proposes amending the 1999 constitution to establish special constituencies for female candidates in national and state assemblies.

The governors indicated that the bill is scheduled to be voted on sometime between April and June 2025. They noted the importance of coordination with lawmakers at both state and federal levels to facilitate the bill’s passage into law.

“The Forum noted that the Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349) will be voted on between November 4-6, 2025. The Bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to create special constituencies exclusively contested by women in the National and State Assemblies as a temporary measure to enhance gender representation. Governors were urged to engage their Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, and Assemblies to support the Bill’s passage and affirm Nigeria’s commitment to equity and inclusive governance.”

To foster intergovernmental cooperation and coordinated policy responses to Nigeria’s socioeconomic challenges, the state governors focused on important national issues with senior officials of federal government agencies. They also said that they are collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria to restore price stability and sustain states’ fiscal performances.

The governors also pledged to further deepen intelligence-sharing with the State Security Service to tackle security threats, violent extremism, and inter-communal tensions across the country.

The communique further reads, “The Forum received a presentation from the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, represented by the Deputy Governor (Economic Policy) Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, on the Bank’s ongoing stabilisation efforts to restore price stability and strengthen confidence in the economy. The briefing highlighted recent policy measures, including the tightening of monetary policy, unification of exchange rate windows, and recapitalisation of banks, to curb inflation, enhance liquidity management, and consolidate macroeconomic stability. Governors commended the CBN’s coordinated approach with fiscal authorities and underscored the importance of sustained collaboration to safeguard growth and state fiscal sustainability.

“The Forum received a presentation from the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, on emerging security threats and intelligence-led strategies to strengthen subnational coordination. The briefing focused on countering violent extremism, managing inter-communal tensions, and addressing security risks linked to economic hardship and political transition. Governors expressed appreciation to the DSS for its proactive engagement and reiterated their commitment to deepen intelligence sharing and collaboration with federal security agencies to enhance peace and stability across the states.”

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