The director-general of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu, has called for deliberate constitutional and policy reforms to increase women's representation in governance.

He also supported the creation of special seats for women in the National Assembly.

Aremu spoke in Ilorin during an event organised by MINILS to mark the 2026 International Women's Day. The event, themed "Advancing Women Through Unity: The Impact of Collective Support – Give to Gain," brought together labour leaders, government officials, and development partners to discuss strategies to strengthen women's participation in leadership and national development.

Aremu harped on the need for Nigeria to adopt deliberate measures to address the persistent under-representation of women in political decision-making.

"We must be deliberate and intentional about women's participation in governance. Women constitute a significant portion of the population and should be adequately represented in leadership positions," he said.

Aremu noted that women make up about 51 per cent of the global population and therefore deserve stronger representation in the nation's political institutions.

He commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for appointing women to key government positions.

In her remarks, the assistant chief labour officer at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ilorin, Mrs Racheal Adeoye, urged women to pursue education, vocational skills and entrepreneurship to achieve economic independence.

Adeoye, who represented the Kwara State controller of Labour, Mr Orodiran Bola, said women must be resilient and proactive in developing themselves.

The Kwara State director of the National Orientation Agency, Alhaji Dare AbdulGaniyu, called for stronger collaboration amongst institutions and communities to advance women's development.

AbdulGaniyu, who was the keynote speaker, called for stronger collaboration amongst institutions and communities to advance women's development.

He said discussions about women's advancement were central to national progress.