House of Reps Committee Proposes Creation of 31 New States in Nigeria

The House of Representatives Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution has proposed the creation of 31 additional states, a move that, if approved, would increase Nigeria’s total number of states from 36 to 67.

Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House, presided over plenary on Thursday and read a letter from the committee listing the proposed states. The proposal is part of an ongoing constitutional amendment process aimed at restructuring the country’s administrative framework.

According to the letter, the new states have been proposed across all six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The breakdown is as follows:

NORTH-CENTRAL

1. Benue Ala State – from the present Benue State
2. Okun State – from the present Kogi State
3. Okura State – from the present Kogi State
4. Confluence State – from the present Kogi State
5. Apa-Agba State – from Benue South Senatorial District
6. Apa State – from the present Benue State
7. Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja – as the 37th state

NORTH-EAST

8. Amana State – from the present Adamawa State
9. Katagum State – from the present Bauchi State
10. Savannah State – from the present Borno State
11. Muri State – from the present Taraba State

NORTH-WEST

12. New Kaduna State and Gurara State – from the present Kaduna State
13. Tiga State – from the present Kano State
14. Kainji State – from the present Kebbi State
15. Ghari State – from the present Kano State

SOUTH-EAST

16. Etiti State – as the sixth state in the South-East
17. Adada State – from the present Enugu State
18. Urashi State – as the sixth state in the South-East
19. Orlu State – from the South-Eastern Region
20. Aba State – from the South-Eastern Region

SOUTH-SOUTH

21. Ogoja State – from the present Cross River State
22. Warri State – from the present Delta State
23. Bori State – from the present Rivers State
24. Obolo State – from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom States

SOUTH-WEST

25. Toru-Ebe State – from the present Delta, Edo, and Ondo States
26. Ibadan State – from the present Oyo State
27. Lagoon State – from the present Lagos State
28. Ijebu State – from the present Ogun State
29. Lagoon State – from the present Lagos and Ogun States
30. Ibadan State – from the present Oyo State
31. Oke-Ogun and Ife-Ijesha States – from the present-day Ogun, Oyo, and Osun States

The committee’s recommendation is subject to the constitutional process for state creation, which requires approval by two-thirds of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Houses of Assembly of the affected states. Additionally, the proposal must be endorsed by the Local Government Councils in the respective areas.