In a landmark move to reform Nigeria’s Constitution, the Senate has announced that it will hold simultaneous public hearings across all six geopolitical zones on July 4 and 5, 2025, to gather citizens’ input on over a dozen proposed amendments, ranging from local government autonomy to state creation and gender inclusion.

The announcement was made in a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Senator Barau I. Jibrin.

According to the statement, the hearings will take place in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), Maiduguri (North East), and Kano (North West). The committee aims to ensure widespread civic participation and inclusiveness in the constitution amendment process.

Key issues up for debate

Local Government Autonomy: The committee is considering a bill that would guarantee the democratic existence of all 774 local governments, as well as establish an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC).

State Police and Security: To address growing insecurity, two bills propose the creation of State Police and State Security Councils to decentralise the country’s policing structure.

Judiciary Reform: Over 20 bills on judiciary overhaul will be discussed, including those mandating timelines for judgment delivery and expanding the jurisdiction of election tribunals.

Gender Equity: A bold proposal seeks to create additional legislative seats for women in both the National and State Assemblies to promote gender balance.

Electoral Reform: Nigerians abroad may soon get voting rights if a bill on diaspora voting passes. Another bill supports independent candidacy, allowing individuals without party affiliation to run for office.

State Creation: A total of 31 requests for the creation of new states have been received, with the highest number coming from the North East (7) and North West (6). Other zones include North Central (5), South West (5), South South (5), and South East (3).

Traditional Rulers: The Senate is also considering constitutional backing for a National Council of Traditional Rulers, along with state and local equivalents, to preserve indigenous governance systems.

Devolution of Powers: There are proposals to move some functions—such as labour and shipping—from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, empowering states to act on such matters.

Mudashir stressed that the review committee is committed to a transparent, inclusive process and urged Nigerians across the six zones to participate actively in the hearings.

“This is a national call to all Nigerians. Our Constitution is the backbone of our democracy and must reflect the will and aspirations of the people,” he said.

The committee emphasised that these public hearings are not just symbolic, but a real opportunity for Nigerians to shape how they are governed politically, economically, and socially.

This is one of the most ambitious efforts yet to revise Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, with the potential to transform governance at every level. The success of the exercise, however, may depend on the quality of citizen input and the political will of lawmakers to follow through.