Speaker Unveils Mid-term Scorecard, Advocates Improved Gender Representation

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Abbas, Tajudeen has unveiled the midterm scorecard of the 10th House, listing major legislative milestones and advocating for reforms to improve gender representation and public engagement.

Speaking at the House of representatives Open Week in Abuja, Dr Abbas said the House had introduced over 2,200 bills and passed 237 of them in two years, of which 55 have been signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

Among the key legislations are reforms to tax administration, amendments to the Electricity Act, and the establishment of a student loan fund.

Other notable laws include measures on cybersecurity, police reform, and the national minimum wage.

“Our legislative record reflects our commitment to openness, inclusion and accountability,” the Speaker said.

He highlighted efforts to amend the constitution to reserve 10% of National Assembly seats for women and 5% for people living with disabilities — a proposal he said could significantly increase representation and bring Nigeria in line with international trends.

“Women’s representation in our legislature remains below 4%,” he said. “We are proposing concrete constitutional changes to shift that reality.”

The scorecard also detailed increased oversight activity, with committees holding over 1,000 meetings and reviewing the performance of more than 200 government agencies.

More than 600 public petitions were received, and several led to parliamentary debate and action.

Mr Abbas said the House has benefited from support by international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the European Union and the Ford Foundation.

Through these partnerships, he said more than 2,300 legislators and staff have undergone training, and the House is transitioning to a fully digitised e-Parliament system.

He called for continued collaboration between citizens and their representatives.

“Parliament belongs to the people,” he said. “Let us work together to strengthen our democracy.”

The Open Week event is set to run until Thursday, featuring discussions on food security, gender inclusion, economic reform, and youth participation.

Civil society groups, development partners, and citizens have been encouraged to attend and engage with the lawmakers.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji