Governors back Women’s representation bill

Barbara Bako, Abuja.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed support for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349) and urged legislators at both federal and state levels to back its passage to promote equity and inclusive governance in the country.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its 5th meeting held on Thursday in Abuja, the Forum noted that the Bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to create special constituencies exclusively contested by women in the National and State Assemblies, will be voted on between November 4 and 6, 2025.

The governors were encouraged to engage their Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, and State Assemblies to support the passage of the Bill, which they said represents a significant step toward improving gender representation in governance.

The meeting, chaired by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, also received a presentation from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), represented by the Deputy Governor (Economic Policy), Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, on ongoing efforts to stabilize the economy, restore price stability, and strengthen public confidence.

The CBN briefing highlighted recent policy measures including the tightening of monetary policy, unification of exchange rate windows, and recapitalisation of banks aimed at curbing inflation, enhancing liquidity management, and consolidating macroeconomic stability.

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Governors commended the coordinated approach between the CBN and fiscal authorities and emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration to safeguard economic growth and ensure fiscal sustainability at the state level.

Also at the meeting, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, briefed the Forum on emerging security threats and strategies to enhance subnational coordination.

The governors appreciated the DSS for its proactive engagement and reiterated their commitment to strengthen intelligence sharing and cooperation with federal security agencies to promote peace and stability across the states.