The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of six additional states across Nigeria.
The decision was reached at the end of a two-day retreat in Lagos, co-chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
During the session, the committee reviewed 69 bills, including 55 requests for new states, two boundary adjustments, and 278 proposals for local government creation. After deliberation, members unanimously agreed to recommend the creation of one new state in each of the six geopolitical zones.
If ratified, Nigeria’s states will increase from 36 to 42, with the South South, South West, and North Central zones each having seven states; the South East six; the North East seven; and the North West eight.
The resolution will be included in the committee’s report to be presented to both chambers of the National Assembly in early November. Lawmakers also formed a subcommittee, chaired by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, to determine the specific areas where the new states will be carved out.
Senator Barau reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to delivering timely and inclusive constitutional amendments, emphasizing fairness and national balance in the process.
