46 New States, 117 LGAs Proposed as Constitution Amendment Hearings Kick Off

The House of Representatives has begun nationwide public hearings as part of its ongoing constitution review process, with 46 proposals for new states and 117 requests for additional local government areas (LGAs) topping the agenda.

These requests are captured in a special compendium of 86 constitution amendment bills compiled by the House Special Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review. The proposals will be debated during zonal public hearings set to take place across 12 designated centers nationwide between July 11 and 20, 2025, with a national hearing slated for July 21 in Abuja.

The breakdown of the proposed states cuts across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones:

• North East: 6 states

• North West: 7 states

• North Central: 12 states

• South East: 6 states

• South South: 7 states

• South West: 8 states

The compendium also covers broader constitutional themes, including electoral and judicial reforms, security and policing, inclusive governance, devolution of powers, traditional institutions, citizenship, indigeneship, and human rights.

Speaking in Abuja, Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who chairs the committee, emphasized that the initiative is designed to promote inclusive participation from all strata of society.

“The 86 Constitution Review Bills will be presented to the public as a compressed compendium to guide input during the hearings,” Kalu said, noting that memoranda have been submitted by traditional rulers, civil society groups, religious leaders, professional bodies, and ordinary citizens across the country.

He encouraged Nigerians to download the full document via https://hccr.gov.ng and actively engage in the hearings.

To enhance grassroots access, Kalu announced that interpreters and local representatives would be present at each center.

“Nobody will be left behind,” he assured. “From market women to drivers, from Yoruba to Igbo to Hausa, we’ve made room for everyone to be heard in their own language.”

The proposals for new states include names such as Savannah State (Borno), Ijebu State (Ogun), Ibadan State (Oyo), Adada State (Enugu), Warri State (Delta), Orashi State (Anambra, Imo, Rivers), and Gurara State (Kaduna), among others.

While the committee has yet to outline timelines or modalities for progressing the proposals, the scale of submissions signals widespread interest in administrative restructuring across the federation.