By Victoria Onehi
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has commended the National Assembly for supporting the move to increase women’s political representation through the Reserved Seats Bill, calling it a strategic investment in democracy and national progress.
Ibrahim stated this at the 2025 National Conference of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) held in Abuja on Friday with the theme“The Power of Women’s Voices and Votes: A Critical Tool for Electoral Victory,”.
Represented by the Special Adviser on Administration, Mrs Ola Erinfolami, the Minister commended NILOWV for its commitment to advancing women’s political participation. She said inclusive governance and gender equality are not optional aspirations but necessary conditions for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.
On the Reserved Seats for Women Bill currently before the National Assembly, the Minister commended its champions in both the senate and House of Representatives.She said: “Women’s inclusion is not an act of charity, but a strategic investment in Nigeria’s sustainable development, democratic strength, and collective progress.”
She called for sustainable financing to achieve gender equality and social inclusion targets, explaining that, “Nigeria currently faces an estimated USD 1.2 billion financing gap over the next five years.”
She noted that exclusion undermines national capacity and slows progress. “Excluding women from good things happening in this country does more harm than good. When women are excluded from leadership, our policies lack balance, our institutions lose empathy, and our development outcomes remain incomplete.”
The Founder of NILOWV, Dame Esther Udehi, called for intensified advocacy at the grassroots to build broader support for the Reserved Seats Bill.
“We need to reach every person, especially women in the villages, to promote women’s inclusion and the passage of the bill,” she said.
The President of NILOWV, Mrs Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, said women’s participation in the 2027 elections would be decisive.
She stated that the special seats bill is critical to 2027, and if it is passed into law, it will change the dynamics of Nigerian politics and restore Nigeria’s democratic integrity”.
Chairperson of the Nigerian Governors Spouses Forum, Prof Olufolake Abdulrazaq, said mobilising support for the bill was essential for women’s full political participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Abdulrazaq was represented by , Director-General, Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum Hauwa Halira.
“Nigeria’s next leap forward is only possible if women’s votes lead to seats of power.”
The Chairperson of the Rivers state chapter of NILOWV Amb. Ruth Davies-Ibaimu said the Reserved Seats Bill has become necessary to enable women thrive in the political arena.
She said:”The Reserved Seats Bill for women is what we will insist on to be passed because we need it.Women have been kept at the background for too long. We are not in competition with the men but we are saying we have a lot to give the society.We have a part to play.We are just asking for few seats.So,we will go back to the grassroots and get our women ready by empowering them to be economically viable and also politically ready.We will do all we can do to support our women from the grassroot.
“To make the conversations from the National level trickle down to our women in the state, NILOWV Rivers state chapter is planning a conference in November.We will gather our women in the grassroot and enlighten them.We will tell them the need to focus more on getting and voting women into power no matter what political party they belong to because we are not interested in political parties necessarily but in having more women in political offices.” Davies-Ibaimu said.
The event also featured a panel session on “Women’s Voices and the Politics of Inclusion: Leveraging Reserved Seats for Electoral Victory.”
The NILOWV National conference ended with the Founders Day and a Dinner held at Nicon Luxury, Abuja.
