Nigeria's National Assembly transmits constitution amendment bill to states

The National Assembly of Nigeria has formally transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval.

Clerk to the National Assembly Kamoru Ogunlana announced the transmission on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, any amendment passed by the federal legislature requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures—a minimum of 24 states—to become law.

While the Constitution does not mandate a specific deadline for state-level voting, the National Assembly has requested that the state assemblies communicate their resolutions within a 30-day administrative timeframe to ensure an orderly process. The Clerk clarified that this 30-day period is an expected administrative target rather than a constitutional deadline.

The proposed alterations include significant measures such as state police reform to create a dual system of federal and independent state police, gender inclusion provisions for special seats in legislatures, and local government autonomy.