AdvoKC urges speedy passage of Ogun gender bill

A non-profit organisation, AdvoKC Foundation, has expressed excitement over the Gender Balance in Political and Public Offices Bill, 2026, marked HB No. 037/OG/2026 and popularly known as the Gender Composition Bill, which recently passed First Reading at the Ogun State House of Assembly.

The foundation also urged the assembly to expedite consideration of the bill to ensure its timely passage into law and promote inclusivity in governance.

The bill, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the foundation’s Communications Manager, Luqman Adamu, was conceived, researched and drafted under its Strengthening Women and Youth Political Power Through Promise Tracking, Policy Advocacy, and Public Participation project.

The First Reading marked a significant milestone, as legislation developed through civil society-led research and advocacy formally entered the legislative process of the state assembly.

The bill was sponsored by the Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Yusuf Sherif, who reportedly adopted the foundation’s draft and formally introduced it on the floor of the House following sustained engagement and dialogue on the proposed legislation.

The statement said the bill, if passed into law, would require that not less than 35 per cent of appointments to political and public offices in Ogun State, including commissioners, special advisers, special assistants and positions on state boards, commissions, councils and agencies, be occupied by persons of either gender.

It would also require appointing authorities to provide evidence-based justification for any departure from the threshold and establish an annual reporting mechanism to the House of Assembly to track compliance across ministries, departments and agencies.

The foundation noted that Nigeria’s record on gender representation in political and public life remained a concern, with women substantially under-represented in political institutions and several state Houses of Assembly having little or no female representation.

It said much of the national conversation on addressing the imbalance, including proposals such as the Reserved Seats for Women Bill before the National Assembly, had focused on elective offices.

“The Gender Composition Bill takes a complementary approach by addressing appointive positions, where executive authorities have significant discretion over appointments,” the foundation said.

It added that anchoring a minimum representation threshold in law would provide Ogun State with a more durable framework for promoting gender balance in public appointments and tracking the composition of boards, commissions, councils and other government institutions.

Speaking on the development, the Project Director of AdvoKC Foundation, Habib Sheidu, said the bill represented an important development in the organisation’s efforts to promote gender representation and public accountability.

He said, “Through our Strengthening Women and Youth Political Power project, we researched the gaps in gender representation across political and public appointments, developed the proposed legislative framework and engaged with stakeholders around the need for reform.

“Seeing the Bill introduced and passed First Reading demonstrates what sustained policy advocacy, evidence and constructive engagement can achieve

We are pleased that the Majority Leader has taken up the Bill and introduced it on the floor of the House. We will continue to support and follow the legislative process through Second Reading, committee consideration, public hearing and Third Reading, with the ultimate goal of seeing meaningful reform become law.”

Having passed First Reading, the bill will proceed to Second Reading, where its general principles will be debated on the floor before it may be referred to the relevant House committee for further scrutiny and possible public hearing.

AdvoKC Foundation said it would continue to monitor the bill’s progress, provide updates to the public at each stage of the legislative process and engage relevant stakeholders to sustain momentum towards its passage and eventual assent.