Only Four Female Senators In Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly.

Female representation in the National Assembly is now at 4.2%.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan suspended for accusing Akpabio of assault.
Out of 108 elected Senators in Nigeria’s 10th Senate (excluding the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah), only four are women, highlighting the continued underrepresentation of women in the country’s legislature.

This means that 104 of the Senators are men, leaving female lawmakers with just about 4% representation in the Senate.

Newsmirror reports that political analysts have raised concerns over this significant gender disparity, noting that women’s participation in legislative affairs has steadily declined over the years.

In the 9th National Assembly, there were eight female Senators (7.3%) and 13 female Members of the House of Representatives (3.6%), representing 4.5% of the entire Assembly.

However, in the 10th National Assembly, women occupy only four out of 109 Senate seats (2.7%) and 17 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives (4.7%), which amounts to 4.2% representation in the entire 469-member legislature.

This downward trend reflects the persistent challenge of female political inclusion, despite seven general elections since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.

Meet the Four Female Senators in the 10th Senate
Ireti Heebah Kingibe (Senator, FCT – Labour Party)

Ireti Heebah Kingibe

Ireti Kingibe represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Labour Party (LP).

She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota, United States.
First contested for the FCT Senatorial seat in 2003 under the defunct ANPP before moving to PDP and later APC in 2014.
She is the younger sister of Ajoke Mohammed, wife of former Head of State, Murtala Mohammed.
Born on June 2, 1954 (69 years old), she was married to former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babagana Kingibe.

Ipalibo Banigo (Senator, Rivers West – PDP)

Ipalibo Banigo represents Rivers West under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

She was the first female Deputy Governor of Rivers State (2015–2023) under Nyesom Wike’s administration.
Holds an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Obtained a Master’s degree from Harvard University School of Public Health.
Served in various leadership roles at the Rivers State Ministry of Health, including Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, and Permanent Secretary.

Idiat Oluranti Adebule (Senator, Lagos West – APC)

Idiat Adebule represents Lagos West under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A renowned educationist, she holds a Doctorate in Curriculum Studies from Lagos State University.
Previously served as Lagos State Deputy Governor (2015–2019).
Worked as a junior lecturer at the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education and Lagos State University.
Was appointed Commissioner at the Lagos State Post Primary Teaching Service Commission (PP-TESCOM).
Became Secretary to the State Government under ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2011.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Senator, Kogi Central – PDP)

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan represents Kogi Central in the 10th Senate.

A lawyer and politician, she holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Abuja (2000–2004).
Called to the Nigerian Bar in 2005 and later earned an MBA in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Dundee (2012).
Founded the Builders Hub Impact Investment Program (BHIIP) before venturing into politics.
Contested in the 2019 Kogi governorship election under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Controversy and Suspension
In February 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual assault during an interview on Arise News.

Following the allegation, the Senate’s Ethics Committee, chaired by Akpabio himself, dismissed her claims and recommended her suspension over procedural rule violations.

On March 6, 2025, she was officially suspended for six months, during which her allowances and security details were withdrawn.

Akpoti-Uduaghan has since filed a ₦100 billion lawsuit against Akpabio, challenging her suspension and the committee’s ruling

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