Reserved Seats, Bold Voices: Nigerian Women Push for Change

Exploring July’s biggest conversations on gender equality, political inclusion, and the everyday realities of Nigerian women.

Dear Reader,

The call for special legislative seats for Nigerian women gained significant momentum throughout July, reflecting a broader national conversation on gender equality and political representation.

PREMIUM TIMES reported a range of gender-related topics, including the often-overlooked struggles of Nigerian women post-pregnancy and breastfeeding, the political exclusion of women as explored in the documentary "Double Minority," the contributions of women in STEAM fields, the technological solution launched to combat gender-based violence perpetuated on digital platforms, and many other issues.

Lawmakers, advocates push for women’s political inclusion in Reserved Seats Bill

Nigeria’s long-running push for gender-inclusive governance gained renewed momentum in July as women’s rights advocates, political stakeholders and government officials demanded swift passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill.

The bill proposes a constitutional amendment aimed at increasing female representation in Nigeria’s legislatures. The bill, known as House Bill 1349, proposes 37 additional Senate seats, 37 in the House of Representatives, and three new seats per state across all 36 state assemblies, exclusively for women.

The Unspoken Reality: Why women’s breasts change after childbirth, breastfeeding

Bimpe Komolafe was surprised by the change in her body after weaning her only child, as her once perky breasts began to droop, leading her to wear a bra to bed. Similarly, Jane Dada, a mother of three, felt self-conscious about her saggy breasts, which made her hesitate during intimacy with her husband.

Many Nigerian mothers are silently navigating the physical changes experienced post-partum and after breastfeeding.

Is pregnancy and breastfeeding the cause of drooping breasts? Breast ptosis (sagging) is commonly attributed to factors such as ageing, genetics, and multiple pregnancies (the more pregnancies a woman has, the greater the chances that her breasts are going to fall and fluctuations in weight), rather than breastfeeding.

Women in management positions

Taiwo Olusesi, registrar of the Nigerian Institute of Management (chartered), believes women leaders inspire and empower others through empathy, connection, resilience, adaptability, emotional intelligence, integrity, and visionary leadership.

Over the past three years, Fayokanmi Omitade has worked with various companies, including tech firms and creative agencies, managing campaigns that deliver measurable results. She is skilled in using tools like Google Analytics, Mailchimp, Zoho, and Salesforce to understand audiences and improve marketing efforts.

Ms Omitade bore her mind on several aspects of digital marketing and the challenges of the terrain in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

From career setback to international recognition, Toks Aruoture , founder and senior interior designer at The Baby Cot Shop, has built a luxury brand rooted in creativity, resilience, and purpose. She has remained committed to designing not just beautiful spaces, but a new kind of leadership led by authenticity and impact.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Aruoture reflects on her journey from rejection to reinvention, how women can lead without losing themselves, and why true power lies in owning your story.

On her part, Olomola-Sijuwade shares her journey from estate intern to CEO, the unique challenges women face in male-dominated industries, and how she is using her platform to empower others and accelerate meaningful change.

Gender quotas

Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, a professor of mass communication at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), called for the adoption of a 30 per cent electoral gender quota at all levels of public office, party structures and government appointments.

By increasing the number of women in public service, the professor believes that decision-making processes can be more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all citizens.

Women in STEAM

For Women in STEAM, PREMIUM TIMES had exclusive interviews with Oluwakemi Omosehin, Khaerat Alaran and Oghenetega Ukutegbe. They shared how they entered the tech field and their experiences so far.

For Ms Omosehin, a computer science graduate, her curiosity about user experience fueled her entry into product design. In the interview, the product designer with over two years of experience encourages young African women in the STEAM fields to persevere, stay curious, and find their community, emphasising their valuable perspective and creativity in the industry.

Similarly, Ms Alaran, a student at the University of Ilorin, discusses how she balances her creative career in social media management and video editing with her law studies. The final-year law student said the creative industry offers freedom.

Ms Ukutegbe’s experience differs. The tech creator and User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) designer shares how to work with clients as a newbie, learning from a challenging project where constant client changes taught her valuable lessons in scope control, leading to her adoption of a milestone-based workflow.  

Nigerian women in politics highlight daunting challenges in new documentary

A documentary that explores the complexities of being a Nigerian woman in politics aired in July.

The documentary, which premiered in Abuja, chronicles the journey of nine Nigerian female political candidates who ran for elective office in the 2023 election cycle, breaking barriers in a male-dominated arena, according to Daria Media, a news and media company.

NGO launches app to combat online gender-based violence

An AI chatbot described as a “tool of justice” to support individuals facing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) has been launched by the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI). “Kemi,” a survivor-centred, AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot, was co-created by survivors to combat TFGBV.

The survivor-centred WhatsApp chatbot ‘Kemi’ is available in multiple local languages and guides users through discreet conversations about online abuse, self-help strategies, and available support resources. The chatbot can be accessed on WhatsApp via 09124648826.

Nigeria, Cherie Blair Foundation launch partnership to support women entrepreneurs

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development launched a partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women to scale up support for women entrepreneurs across Nigeria. The initiative will provide Nigerian women with access to training, financial resources, and market opportunities for women-led businesses nationwide.

Katsina Govt extends maternity leave for nursing mothers

The Katsina State Government has approved the extension of maternity leave for nursing mothers in the state’s civil service to four months and 10 days.