The House of Representatives took a significant step on Wednesday toward institutionalizing gender inclusivity within Nigeria’s military, as lawmakers passed for second reading a bill proposing a minimum 15 per cent quota for female enlistment in the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The bill, which seeks to amend the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, is being sponsored by Kafilat Ogbara, who represents the Kosofe Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
Ogbara explained that the legislation is intended to confront the persistent underrepresentation of women in the military by establishing enforceable provisions that ensure their inclusion in recruitment, appointment, and promotion processes across all branches of the armed forces.
She argued that the current framework lacks clear legal support for gender equity, thereby enabling entrenched cultural and institutional biases to continue excluding women from meaningful roles in military service.
“The current legal framework lacks specific provisions that guarantee gender inclusion or affirmative action,” Ogbara told her colleagues during the debate. “This has resulted in systemic underrepresentation of women in the armed forces.”
She cited the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2,000) on Women, Peace and Security and Nigeria’s National Action Plan on its implementation, both of which advocate for increased female participation in national security structures.
The proposed amendment, Ogbara explained, would not only legislate a minimum 15% female representation but also establish a gender-responsive compliance framework. This includes creating a dedicated gender-monitoring unit, mandating disaggregated data collection, and instituting reforms in areas such as training, accommodation, logistics, deployment, and disciplinary processes.
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“This bill seeks to transform the Nigerian Armed Forces into a more inclusive, accountable, and operationally effective institution,” Ogbara said. “By institutionalising a minimum threshold for female representation and mandating a robust system of monitoring, we align our military practices with both national and international legal obligations.”
Ogbara further emphasized that the proposed legislation aligns with Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to equality as enshrined in Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as with international obligations under instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
She described the bill as a strategic legislative intervention and encouraged her colleagues to view it through the lens of justice, professionalism, and national development rather than solely as a gender issue.
Ogbara pointed out that, in today’s complex security landscape, the armed forces must draw from the full spectrum of the nation’s human resources. She argued that inclusive and diverse military leadership is essential for tackling modern threats effectively. Supporting the bill, she said, would signify a commitment to fairness and the fulfillment of both constitutional mandates and international obligations.
The bill is now expected to proceed to a public hearing in the coming weeks, where a range of stakeholders—including military officials, civil society organizations, and gender advocates—will be invited to contribute their perspectives before further legislative action is taken.