𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

…𝑬𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒄𝒚

…𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

Destiny Young – December 14, 2025

Overview of the proposed amendments

Federal lawmakers have unveiled a comprehensive set of proposals to amend the 1999 Constitution, aimed at strengthening governance, deepening democracy, and improving accountability across all tiers of government. The proposals are contained in a report of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, prepared after a recent joint retreat of the National Assembly and circulated to members ahead of plenary deliberations.

The report sets out 44 proposed constitutional provisions, all of which will be debated and voted on by the House of Representatives, with a similar process expected in the Senate.

Local government autonomy and revenue reforms

A major focus of the proposed amendments is the strengthening of local government autonomy. Lawmakers are seeking to abolish joint state and local government accounts, a system widely criticised for limiting the financial independence of local councils.

Under the proposals, each local government council would maintain a dedicated allocation account into which funds from the Federation Account and state governments would be paid directly. State governments would also be required to allocate a prescribed proportion of their internally generated revenue to local governments, as determined by state legislation.

The amendments further empower local government legislative councils to enact by laws for peace, order, and good governance within their jurisdictions. Executive powers would be vested in democratically elected chairmen, supported by vice chairmen, supervisory councillors, and other local government officials.

A four year tenure is proposed for elected local government chairmen and councillors, with clear provisions for calculating tenure in cases involving rerun elections. The reforms also reaffirm that local governments must be administered solely by democratically elected councils, with no alternative administrative structures permitted.

Security reforms and policing structure

The constitution review committee has recommended the introduction of state and community policing, to operate alongside the federal police. Community policing is defined as a collaborative approach in which law enforcement works closely with residents, community institutions, and local stakeholders to prevent crime, build trust, and maintain public safety.

The proposal emphasises proactive, non violent, and service oriented policing methods designed to strengthen public confidence and uphold human rights at the community level.

Electoral reforms and democratic participation

The proposed amendments include the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes. The commission would be led by a chairman and supported by 12 commissioners.

Lawmakers are also proposing to allow independent candidates to contest elections at all levels. Such candidates would be required to submit verified signatures from at least 20 per cent of registered voters in the relevant constituency, with verification conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In addition, the amendments provide for special legislative seats to enhance women’s representation. One additional senatorial seat would be created in each of the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, while one House of Representatives seat per state and the Federal Capital Territory would be reserved exclusively for women. These measures would take effect after the current National Assembly and would be subject to periodic review.

Legal, judicial, and institutional reforms

A significant institutional reform under consideration is the separation of the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice. Under the proposal, the Minister of Justice would serve as a cabinet minister and chief law officer of the federal government, while the Attorney General would be appointed independently, on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council and subject to Senate confirmation.

The Attorney General would have extensive prosecutorial powers, including the authority to initiate, take over, or discontinue criminal proceedings, and to supervise investigative and prosecutorial agencies. The office would carry a renewable five year term, subject to a maximum of ten years or retirement at the age of 65 years.

The amendments also propose granting the Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction over presidential election disputes, with a requirement that such cases be concluded within 60 days of filing.

Citizenship, budgetary, and legislative changes

The report proposes amendments to Nigeria’s citizenship provisions to allow foreign nationals to acquire citizenship through investment in the country’s economic development, subject to conditions set by an Act of the National Assembly. Eligible investments would include priority economic sectors, real estate above a prescribed value, job creating enterprises, and contributions to national development funds.

Other proposals include a constitutional requirement for the President to present federal revenue and expenditure estimates to a joint session of the National Assembly at least 60 days before the end of each financial year. The committee also recommends removing the power of the President and state governors to proclaim the first sitting of the National Assembly or state houses of assembly, instead fixing the date constitutionally.

Next steps in the constitutional review process

Although participants at the joint retreat reportedly supported the creation of additional states, the report retains the existing structure of 36 states grouped into six geopolitical zones.

The proposals now await detailed legislative scrutiny as lawmakers begin formal deliberations that could shape the future of Nigeria’s constitutional and governance framework.