The Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced that it will hold crucial public hearings on proposed amendments to the country's constitution between July 4 and July 5, 2025. These hearings are designed to gather comprehensive input from citizens across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria, marking a significant step in what is anticipated to be one of the most transformative reviews of the 1999 Constitution since the return to civil rule in 1999. Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, who serves as the Chairman of the committee, disclosed this development through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, from Abuja.

The simultaneous public hearings are strategically scheduled to take place in key regional centers: Lagos for the South-West, Enugu for the South-East, Ikot Ekpene for the South-South, Jos for the North-Central, Maiduguri for the North-East, and Kano for the North-West. This broad geographical reach underscores the committee's commitment to ensuring widespread civic participation and inclusiveness in the amendment process. Mudashir emphasized that these hearings are not merely symbolic, but represent a genuine opportunity for Nigerians to directly influence how they are governed politically, economically, and socially.

The expansive reform agenda encompasses a wide array of critical national issues, with the Senate considering over 60 proposed amendments, while the House of Representatives is concurrently prioritizing 87 constitutional amendments grouped into thematic areas reflecting the aspirations of Nigerians. These reforms aim to restructure governance, deepen democracy, and address long-standing national agitations. Key issues slated for discussion include local government autonomy, electoral and judicial reforms, state creation, state police, and inclusive governance, among others.

A central focus of the proposed amendments is the push for Local Government Autonomy. The committee is examining bills that seek to guarantee the democratic existence and tenure of all 774 local government councils in the country, establishing them as a fully independent third tier of government with secured financial independence. Complementing this, another bill proposes the creation of an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to organize, conduct, and supervise local government elections, aiming to curb political manipulation often seen in local polls managed by state electoral commissions.

Addressing the pressing issue of national insecurity, two significant bills are on the agenda concerning State Police and Security. These proposals aim to decentralize policing by empowering states to manage internal security through constitutionally recognized state security outfits and coordinated State Security Councils. This measure is widely backed by security experts and state governments as a timely solution to the limitations of the current centralized policing model.

The Judiciary Reform package is extensive, with over 20 bills dedicated to overhauling the country’s judicial system. These reforms include mandating fixed timelines for judgment delivery, expanding the jurisdiction of election tribunals, increasing appellate court capacity, and ensuring financial autonomy for federal and state courts. Crucially, a bill also seeks to eliminate executive influence in judicial appointments and allow judges elevated to higher courts to complete pending judgments in their former roles, promoting greater independence and efficiency.

In a significant move towards Gender Equity and Inclusive Governance, the committee will consider a bill to provide additional legislative seats for women in both the National and State Houses of Assembly. This proposal is part of broader efforts to institutionalize inclusive governance and close the gender gap in Nigerian politics, promoting fairness and inclusivity in leadership positions.

Pivotal Electoral Reforms are also slated for discussion. A bill proposing diaspora voting (SB 255) aims to enfranchise an estimated 15 million Nigerian citizens living abroad, potentially broadening Nigeria’s democratic footprint globally. Additionally, a pivotal bill seeks to amend the constitution to allow for independent candidacy at all levels of election, from local councils to the presidency, thereby reducing political party monopoly and increasing electoral competition.

The persistent demand for State Creation will be thoroughly addressed, with a total of 31 proposals for new states under consideration. Some sources even indicate that over 40 memoranda for new states are under review, including names like Ijebu, Katagum, Adada, Atlantic City, and Anim. The requests are distributed across geo-political zones: seven from the North-East, six from the North-West, five each from the North-Central, South-West, and South-South, and three from the South-East. These proposals reflect persistent demands for regional representation and development equity, particularly among historically marginalized areas.

Furthermore, the hearings will consider constitutional backing for traditional institutions, specifically a bill to establish the National Council of Traditional Rulers, along with State and Local Government Councils of Traditional Rulers, aiming to preserve indigenous governance systems. In terms of Devolution of Powers and Fiscal Federalism, several bills propose altering the constitution to move key responsibilities, such as labour and shipping, from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. This shift is intended to grant states increased legislative and administrative powers. Fiscal reforms also include proposals to empower the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to enforce compliance of remittance of accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account, and to specify periods within which the President or Governor of a state must present appropriation bills to the legislative assemblies.

The House of Representatives, under the leadership of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, is also actively engaged in similar thematic areas, including gender bills, security and police reforms, fiscal and judicial reforms, devolution of powers, and local government autonomy. Kalu highlighted the passage of a landmark bill (HB-617) for second reading, seeking to transfer policing from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, facilitating the establishment of State and Local Government Police.

This comprehensive constitutional review process is being framed as a "national dialogue," with Senator Barau emphasizing the critical importance of broad-based public engagement in determining the nation’s future. The Clerk of the Committee, Dr. Innocent Mebiri, has urged all interested stakeholders to participate actively, underscoring that the constitution, as the backbone of Nigeria’s democracy, must truly reflect the will and aspirations of its people. As Nigeria commemorates 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, the success of the 2025 Constitution Review effort hinges on the quality of citizen input and the political will of lawmakers to implement these far-reaching changes, potentially redefining governance, security, and citizenship for generations to come.