The House of Representatives Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution has proposed the creation of 31 additional states, a move that, if approved, would increase Nigeria’s total number of states from 36 to 67.
Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House, presided over plenary on Thursday and read a letter from the committee listing the proposed states. The proposal is part of an ongoing constitutional amendment process aimed at restructuring the country’s administrative framework.
According to the letter, the new states have been proposed across all six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The breakdown is as follows:
NORTH-CENTRAL
- Benue Ala State – from the present Benue State
- Okun State – from the present Kogi State
- Okura State – from the present Kogi State
- Confluence State – from the present Kogi State
- Apa-Agba State – from Benue South Senatorial District
- Apa State – from the present Benue State
- Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja – as the 37th state
NORTH-EAST
- Amana State – from the present Adamawa State
- Katagum State – from the present Bauchi State
- Savannah State – from the present Borno State
- Muri State – from the present Taraba State
NORTH-WEST
- New Kaduna State and Gurara State – from the present Kaduna State
- Tiga State – from the present Kano State
- Kainji State – from the present Kebbi State
- Ghari State – from the present Kano State
SOUTH-EAST
- Etiti State – as the sixth state in the South-East
- Adada State – from the present Enugu State
- Urashi State – as the sixth state in the South-East
- Orlu State – from the South-Eastern Region
- Aba State – from the South-Eastern Region
SOUTH-SOUTH
- Ogoja State – from the present Cross River State
- Warri State – from the present Delta State
- Bori State – from the present Rivers State
- Obolo State – from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom States
SOUTH-WEST
- Toru-Ebe State – from the present Delta, Edo, and Ondo States
- Ibadan State – from the present Oyo State
- Lagoon State – from the present Lagos State
- Ijebu State – from the present Ogun State
- Lagoon State – from the present Lagos and Ogun States
- Ibadan State – from the present Oyo State
- Oke-Ogun and Ife-Ijesha States – from the present-day Ogun, Oyo, and Osun States
The committee’s recommendation is subject to the constitutional process for state creation, which requires approval by two-thirds of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Houses of Assembly of the affected states. Additionally, the proposal must be endorsed by the Local Government Councils in the respective areas.
