House of Reps reviews 46 state and 117 LGA creation requests in constitution amendment talks.
Benjamin Kalu urges Nigerians to get involved, says public input is key to meaningful reform.
The House of Representatives is currently reviewing 46 formal requests for the creation of new states and 117 requests for the establishment of additional local government areas (LGAs) as part of the ongoing review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
This development was confirmed on Wednesday by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu. According to him, the committee has received a flood of memoranda from across the country, which have been categorized to ensure public engagement and transparency in the review process.
Kalu revealed that, in addition to the proposals for state and LGA creation, the committee is also reviewing two requests for boundary adjustments and 86 bills seeking various constitutional amendments.
“The bills, sponsored by members of the House, represent legislative efforts aimed at addressing various developmental challenges affecting governance practices in Nigeria,” Kalu stated.
North Central tops state creation requests
According to reports, the North Central region has submitted the highest number of state creation requests, totaling 12. The South West follows with 8, while the North West and South-South regions each have seven requests. The North East and South East have six requests apiece.
In terms of LGA creation, the South East and South-South lead with 24 requests each, followed by the North East with 22, North Central with 21, North West with 14, and the South West with 12.
Kalu emphasized the importance of public involvement in the constitutional review process, urging Nigerians to contribute meaningfully rather than remaining on the sidelines.
“We must not fold our arms. If we want the Constitution to reflect our values and address our needs, we must participate. Those who do not contribute should not complain later,” he said.
To improve transparency and accessibility, Kalu said the bills and memoranda have been grouped into thematic areas, including electoral reform, judiciary, devolution of powers, local government autonomy, indigeneship and citizenship rights, fiscal federalism, traditional institutions, human rights, and security and policing.
Despite the volume of submissions, Kalu clarified that no request for state creation has yet met the rigorous constitutional requirements for state creation. Under Nigeria’s legal framework, creating a new state requires a broad political consensus and multiple layers of legislative and executive approval, including a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the affected state assemblies, as well as support from the affected populations via referenda.
“At this point, none of the state creation requests have fulfilled the constitutional conditions for approval,” Kalu noted.
Calls for new states and LGAs have long been a part of Nigeria’s political discourse, primarily driven by demands for improved governance, greater autonomy, and equitable resource allocation. Many communities believe new administrative structures will help address marginalization and improve development outcomes.
However, critics warn that increasing administrative units without corresponding revenue growth or governance system reform could lead to greater financial strain and inefficiencies.
As the constitutional review process advances, the National Assembly’s decisions will likely shape Nigeria’s federal structure for decades to come.
