Constitution Review: National Assembly Committee Approves Creation of Six New States
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review has approved the creation of six new states — one in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones — as part of its ongoing efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution.
If the proposal is ratified, Nigeria’s states will increase from 36 to 42. The North-west will have eight states, while the North-east, North-central, South-west, and South-south will each have seven. The South-east will have six.
The decision was reached at a two-day retreat held in Lagos from Friday to Saturday. During the session, the committee also agreed to set up a sub-committee to identify the specific areas from which the new states will be created. Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), will chair the sub-committee.
The committee reviewed 55 proposals for new states, two boundary adjustment requests, and 278 applications for new local government areas submitted by various groups across the country.
Earlier, Ogun Today reported that the bill to create Ijebu state from Ogun State has scaled second reading at the House of Representative.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, who co-chair the review committee, are expected to present the resolutions when the National Assembly reconvenes. The proposals will then be debated by the Committee of the Whole, where lawmakers will decide whether to approve or reject them.
ICYMI
How New States Are Created Under the Constitution
Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution outlines the process for creating new states.
- Initial Request: It begins with a formal request signed by at least two-thirds of elected representatives (senators, members of the House of Representatives, and state lawmakers) from the affected area.
- Referendum: The proposal must be approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds of the people living in that area.
- State Endorsement: A simple majority of all state assemblies — at least 19 states — must endorse the referendum outcome.
- National Assembly Approval: The proposal must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.
- Presidential Assent: Once all these steps are complete, the resolutions are sent to the President for final approval.
Challenges and Political Implications
The committee had earlier pledged to complete the review process and forward its final recommendations to state assemblies before the end of the year.
Since 1999, the Nigerian Constitution has faced criticism for not reflecting the country’s political and social realities. Despite five amendments, many proposed changes have been rejected by state legislatures.
The constitution review process has also been criticised for its high cost, as each review phase receives significant funding.
The latest approval for six new states is expected to spark political lobbying among governors and influential politicians seeking to secure one of the new states for their regions.
In the South-west, for example, two bills are currently being considered — one proposing Ibadan State, which has already passed second reading in the House of Representatives, and another seeking Ijebu State.
Similarly, in the South-south, Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North) has sponsored a bill for the creation of Anioma State out of Delta State. Proponents argue that Anioma, a predominantly Igbo-speaking area, should instead be recognised as the sixth state in the South-east rather than approving any other state creation proposal in the zone.
