The National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review has proposed the creation of six new states across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, marking one of the most significant restructuring proposals in decades.

The proposal emerged during a two-day retreat in Lagos, co-chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, where lawmakers reviewed 69 constitutional amendment bills — including 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustment appeals, and 278 local government proposals.

After extensive deliberations, the committee unanimously agreed that each geopolitical zone should have one additional state, bringing Nigeria’s total from 36 to 42 states if approved.

Under the new framework:

South-South and South-West zones will each have seven states,

South-East will increase to six, and

North-West, North-East, and North-Central will each have seven states.

A senior lawmaker involved in the retreat described the decision as one taken “in the spirit of fairness and equity.”

The committee also formed a sub-committee, led by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno, to identify the specific regions or areas where the new states will be carved out. Members assured that their recommendations would be guided by fairness, transparency, and inclusivity.

However, the creation of new states requires a constitutional amendment, which must secure the approval of two-thirds of the National Assembly and two-thirds of all 36 state Houses of Assembly — a historically challenging benchmark.

The final report of the joint committee is expected to be presented to both chambers of the National Assembly in early November.

Recent months have seen rising agitation for new states across several regions. Campaigners from Delta North have renewed calls for Anioma State, which they argue should be part of the South-East, while Ibadan State advocates in Oyo have intensified their demand, with Oba Rashidi Ladoja, the 44th Olubadan, urging the federal government to approve the creation before 2027.

If ratified, this proposal would represent the most significant geopolitical restructuring since the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996 under General Sani Abacha.