The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has received proposals to create 31 additional states in Nigeria.
The announcement was made during a plenary session on Thursday, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
The committee, led by Kalu, outlined the proposed states in a letter read to lawmakers, indicating that the move aimed to enhance administrative efficiency and foster regional representation.
Nigeria has 67 states. Should the bill succeed, if approved by the National Assembly, Nigeria’s current 36-state structure would expand to 67, surpassing the United States’ 50-state system.
According to the proposal, the North Central region would see the creation of six new states, while the North East would gain four.
Five additional states are proposed for the North West, five for the South East, four for the South-South, and seven for the South West.
A 37th state, designated as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, is also part of the proposed restructuring. The breakdown of the proposed states is as follows:
North Central
- Benue Ala (Benue)
- Okun (Kogi)
- Okura (Kogi)
- Confluence (Kogi)
- Apa-Agba (Benue South)
- Apa (Benue)
- FCT North East
- Amana (Adamawa)
- Katagum (Bauchi)
- Savannah (Borno)
- Muri (Taraba).
North West
- New Kaduna
- Gurara (Kaduna)
- Tiga
- Ghari (Kano)
- Kainji (Kebbi).
South East
- Etiti
- Adada (Enugu)
- Urashi
- Orlu
- Aba. South-South
- Ogoja (Cross River)
- Warri (Delta)
- Bori (Rivers)
- Obolo (Rivers/Akwa Ibom)
South West
- Toru-Ebe (Delta, Edo, Ondo)
- Ibadan (Oyo)
- Lagoon (Lagos)
- Ijebu (Ogun)
- Oke-Ogun (Oyo)
- Ife-Ijesha (Oyo, Osun)
Proponents of the initiative argue that restructuring the country’s political geography would provide greater regional autonomy, promote balanced development, and address long-standing concerns over resource allocation. Critics, however, caution that such an expansion could escalate governance costs and administrative complexity.
The proposal will undergo further deliberations, and lawmakers must consult extensively before making a final decision. Given the constitutional implications, any approval would require legislative backing at the federal and state levels and potential amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
