Tinubu Administration Prepares Bill To Boost Women’s Representation In Government
By JOANNA ILUSANMI
THE Federal Government is working on legislation that would guarantee women 35 per cent representation in governance, signalling a renewed push for greater female participation in public leadership.
Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim announced the development in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during a pre-rally empowerment programme spearheaded by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
She said the proposed Executive Bill was undergoing drafting ahead of its presentation to the National Assembly. Furthermore, she expressed confidence that the First Lady would work to secure its passage through the legislative process.
Although the minister did not announce a submission date, she described the proposed law as an important step towards strengthening women’s representation in governance.
The announcement came alongside a series of empowerment activities targeting women across Nasarawa State.
Thousands of beneficiaries received refrigerators, sewing machines, grinding machines and cash assistance to support their livelihoods. The programme also extended to traders, small-business owners and women receiving healthcare services.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the First Lady had introduced a menstrual hygiene initiative to provide sanitary pads, condoms and other hygiene products free of charge to women nationwide.
She explained that the delegation travelled to Nasarawa on Mrs. Tinubu’s direct instructions to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and demonstrate the government’s commitment to women’s welfare.
Meanwhile, APC National Women Leader and Director of the party’s Women Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Mary Alile Idele, described the exercise as part of efforts to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said the party’s mobilisation structure was working to strengthen support for continuity of the administration’s programmes.
As part of the outreach, the delegation visited markets and hospitals and provided direct financial grants, business tools and healthcare interventions to thousands of women.
The initiative reached beneficiaries in maternity wards, local markets and micro-business centres. Selected traders received specialised business kiosks, while between 100 and 200 women received additional business capital of ₦100,000 each.
Beyond the immediate assistance, the proposed 35 per cent representation Bill could become a significant policy development for women seeking greater access to political and public leadership.
However, its eventual impact will depend on the Bill’s formal presentation, legislative consideration and passage by the National Assembly.
For now, the Federal Government’s announcement and the First Lady’s empowerment campaign place women’s political inclusion and economic participation prominently on the administration’s public agenda.
