The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment has dismissed all 31 proposals for creating new states, stating that none meet the constitutional criteria.
These proposals, submitted on February 6, 2025, were reviewed during a two-day retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, organized by the 10th House of Representatives in partnership with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu—who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution—announced on Friday that all 31 requests for state creation in Nigeria have been rejected on constitutional grounds. “Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none of these requests met the constitutional requirements for amendment,” Kalu stated.
Despite this setback, the committee has extended the deadline for submissions until March 5, 2025, providing communities an opportunity to revise their proposals. Kalu hinted that further extensions might be considered based on the outcomes of the retreat’s discussions.
In addition to state creation issues, Kalu revealed that the committee is currently reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at addressing various governance challenges in Nigeria. “Some of the bills have passed the second reading, while others are still at the first stage,” he noted.
As the constitutional review process continues, any community seeking state creation must ensure their proposals fully comply with the constitutional requirements to be considered for approval.
