“None of the 46 current proposals has fulfilled the constitutional requirements,” Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu said.
The renewed agitation for state creation in Nigeria has hit a constitutional wall, as none of the 46 proposed states submitted to the House of Representatives meets the mandatory five conditions outlined in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution.
This was disclosed during a Constitution Review session chaired by Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who confirmed that while public interest is high, “not a single proposal is currently eligible for serious legislative processing.”
North-Central tops the chart with 12 requests, including proposals from Kogi, Benue, and Plateau, driven by ethnic and administrative concerns. The South-West follows with eight, while the South-East and North-East recorded the lowest with six proposals each.
Despite the wide-ranging motivations—ranging from marginalisation and cultural identity to administrative efficiency—none of the proposals has satisfied the constitutional criteria requiring legislative approvals, voter referenda, and state-wide support.
Hon. Obi Aguocha backed the proposed Aba State, citing economic importance. From Borno, Hon. Usman Zanna pushed for Savannah State for accessibility. But others were more cautious.
“We are barely funding the existing 36 states. Adding more could increase overhead without increasing value,” warned Hon. Sada Soli (APC, Katsina).
From the South-South, Hon. Fred Agbedi supported Oil River State, while Hon. Kabiru Rurum argued for Tiga State, citing Kano’s administrative burden.
Critics argue that Nigeria’s fiscal crisis, inflated recurrent costs, and growing debt make new states financially impractical. But proponents insist better governance—not geography—is the real challenge.
With the current process unlikely to yield any new state soon, many observers see the agitation as a symptom of a deeper dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s federal system—and a signal for overdue restructuring.
The Constitution Review Committee is expected to conclude preliminary screening later this year.