By Chukwudi Obasi, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution is currently considering 46 requests for the creation of new states and 117 proposals for the establishment of new local government areas across Nigeria’s 36 states.
Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this during a briefing on Wednesday.
In addition to these, the committee is reviewing two requests for boundary adjustments and 86 constitution amendment bills that the House has already passed.
According to data from the committee, the North Central region leads with 12 state creation requests, followed by the Southwest with 8. The North West and South-South regions had seven requests each, while the North East and South East regions submitted six each.
For new LGAs, the South East and South-South submitted the highest number of requests at 24 each. The North East followed with 22, North Central with 21, North West with 14, and the South West with 12.
He said the committee has segmented all received memoranda and bills into specific thematic areas to facilitate public engagement and participation.
He listed key focus areas as electoral reforms, Judicial Reforms, Legislative Matters, Inclusive Governance, Security and Policing, Devolution of Powers, Strengthening of Institutions, Traditional Institutions, Fiscal Reforms, Citizenship and Indigenity, Fundamental Human Rights, Local Government Reform, and the Creation of States and Local Governments.
Kalu urged Nigerians to actively participate in the ongoing review process to ensure the Constitution reflects the will and aspirations of the people, warning that those who fail to engage should not complain about the outcome.
“The continuous review of the Constitution is essential for strengthening our democracy,” he said. “There will always be areas for improvement, and this process offers the opportunity for Nigerians to shape the legal framework that governs them.”
To ensure widespread participation, Kalu said the country has been divided into 12 zones for public hearings, which will be held in two phases.
The first phase will take place from July 11 to 13, 2025, in Kaduna and Sokoto for the North West, Minna and Lafia for the North Central, and Gombe and Maiduguri for the North East.
The second phase is scheduled for July 18-20, 2025, and will be held in Lagos and Akure for the South West, Yenagoa and Calabar for the South-South, and Enugu and Owerri for the South East. A national public hearing will follow in Abuja on Monday, July 21, 2025.
“These hearings are designed to provide an open platform for citizens, civil society organisations, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the constitutional reform process,” Kalu said.
He also announced that the 86 constitution review bills under consideration would be presented in a compressed compendium, including explanatory memoranda, long titles, and detailed summaries of each proposal.
“The bills, sponsored by various members of the House, are legislative efforts aimed at addressing pressing governance challenges in Nigeria,” he said. “The compendium will serve as a reference material for all stakeholders during the zonal hearings, helping them understand the proposals and offer informed feedback.”
According to Kalu, the compendium is expected to enhance public engagement by enabling citizens to critically assess the bills, seek clarification, and offer constructive input. This, he said, would provide lawmakers with a deeper understanding of the expectations and concerns of their constituents.
He noted that public feedback would also serve to inform citizens who submitted memoranda whether and how their inputs have been addressed in the proposed amendments.
Kalu called on all stakeholders and the general public to attend the zonal and national public hearings, stressing that their active participation is vital to the success of the constitutional review process.
