The Ogun State House of Assembly has commenced consideration of a bill seeking to institutionalise gender balance in political and public appointments in the state.

The Gender Balance in Political and Public Offices Bill, 2026, also known as the Gender Composition Bill, was presented for first reading on August 21, 2026.

The bill, referenced as H.B. No. 037/OG/2026, was sponsored by the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Sherif Abiodun, who formally introduced the proposed legislation on the floor of the House.

If passed into law, the bill will require that not less than 35 per cent of appointments to political and public offices in Ogun State be occupied by persons of either gender.

The proposed legislation covers appointments such as commissioners, special advisers and special assistants, as well as positions on state boards, commissions, councils and agencies.

It also seeks to place an obligation on appointing authorities to provide evidence-based justification where appointments fall below the proposed 35 per cent threshold.

In addition, the bill proposes an annual reporting mechanism through which compliance with the gender representation requirement would be monitored across ministries, departments and agencies of the state.

The legislation was developed through research and advocacy under AdvoKC Foundation’s Strengthening Women and Youth Political Power Through Promise Tracking, Policy Advocacy, and Public Participation project.

The organisation said the proposed law emerged from its assessment of gaps in gender representation in political and public appointments, followed by consultations and engagement with relevant stakeholders.

The introduction of the bill comes amid continuing concerns over the representation of women in Nigeria’s political institutions.

Women remain under-represented in elected and appointed positions across the country, with the issue of gender inclusion featuring prominently in debates on political reform.

While recent legislative proposals at the national level have focused largely on increasing women’s representation in elective positions, the Ogun bill seeks to address appointive offices, where executive authorities exercise considerable discretion in selecting officials for government positions.

Under the proposed framework, appointments to boards, commissions, councils and government agencies would also be subject to the gender representation requirement.

The bill would therefore create a mechanism for monitoring the gender composition of public institutions and provide a basis for assessing compliance with the proposed threshold.

Speaking on the development, Project Director of AdvoKC Foundation, Habib Sheidu, described the first reading as an important stage in the organisation’s efforts to promote gender representation and public accountability.

Sheidu said the organisation had researched gender representation gaps, developed the legislative framework and engaged stakeholders before the bill was presented to the Assembly.

He said the introduction of the bill demonstrated the role that evidence-based advocacy and engagement could play in influencing public policy.

According to him, the foundation would continue to monitor the bill as it progresses through the legislative process and engage stakeholders on its provisions.

Following its first reading, the bill is expected to proceed to second reading, where lawmakers will debate its general principles.

If it scales that stage, it may be referred to the appropriate House committee for detailed consideration. The committee stage could involve further scrutiny of the provisions and, depending on the legislative process adopted, a public hearing at which stakeholders may present their views.

The bill will subsequently have to pass third reading before it can be transmitted for the next stage of the law-making process, including consideration for assent.

The proposed 35 per cent threshold would apply to appointments covered by the legislation rather than elective offices.

The bill also seeks to make gender representation a measurable component of public appointments by requiring periodic reporting on compliance.

AdvoKC Foundation said it would continue to track the bill’s progress and provide updates as it moves through the Assembly.

The organisation also called for continued stakeholder engagement around the proposed legislation, which it said is aimed at establishing a more structured framework for gender representation in public institutions in Ogun State.

The outcome of the legislative process will determine whether the proposed 35 per cent requirement and its accompanying monitoring and reporting provisions become part of Ogun State’s legal framework for political and public appointments.