The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone.
The landmark decision, reached during a two-day retreat in Lagos on Saturday, marks a major step toward addressing long-standing agitations for equity and balance among the six geopolitical zones.
When actualized, the new state will bring the South-East to parity with the South-South, South-West, North-Central, and North-East regions, each of which currently has six states. The South-East presently comprises five states—Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo—making it the only zone with fewer states.
The retreat, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, considered 55 separate proposals for state creation nationwide before adopting the resolution.
According to a statement issued by the committee’s media unit, the motion for the creation of a new state in the South-East was moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) and seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, Ogun State). The motion reportedly received unanimous support from members of the committee.
Kalu, a strong advocate for additional state creation in the region, emphasized that the move would help correct historical imbalances and give the South-East people a greater sense of belonging in the Nigerian federation.
“This is a step toward fairness, justice, and inclusivity. The South-East deserves equal representation like other regions,” Kalu stated during the session.
In addition to the South-East resolution, the Joint Committee established a sub-committee to further review the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geopolitical zones. It disclosed that a total of 278 proposals for state and local government creation were submitted for consideration.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin called on lawmakers to build consensus and sustain momentum ahead of the final voting stages in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
“We must work together to ensure this process succeeds. By the time we reach the voting stage, all stakeholders—from both chambers and state assemblies—should be fully aligned,” Jibrin urged.
The approval by the joint constitutional review committee is only the first step in a complex process that will require further legislative action, endorsement by two-thirds of state assemblies, and presidential assent before the new state can officially be created.
If passed, the development will mark a historic correction in Nigeria’s political structure and fulfill a long-awaited demand for equality by the people of the South-East region.
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