A New Constitutional Moment? Nigeria’s Legislature Revives Reform Ambitions in Sweeping Amendment Package

In March 2025, Nigeria’s House of Representatives made a sweeping move by approving over 80 constitutional amendment bills addressing judicial independence, electoral reforms, security, governance structures, and gender inclusion. As public hearings on these proposed amendments unfold in the Special Committee on Constitutional Review, Professor Azubike Chinwuba Onuora-Oguno reflects on their potential to either pave the way for genuine democratic and structural transformation or merely entrench existing inequalities, risking a missed opportunity for meaningful reform.

Introduction

The call for amendment (...) is driven by the desire to promote good governance, establish the rule of law and separation of powers, and numerous claims of marginalisation by some zones of the country.

Nigeria may be approaching another pivotal moment in its long and complex constitutional history. In March 2025, the House of Representatives approved a landmark package of over 80 constitutional amendment bills addressing wide-ranging issues from judicial independence and electoral reform to gender inclusion and internal security. The proposed amendments, now under the review of the Special Committee on Constitutional Review, have triggered fresh debates about the future of governance and democratic accountability in Nigeria. The call for amendment of the Nigerian Constitution is driven by the desire to promote good governance, establish the rule of law and separation of powers, and numerous claims of marginalisation by some zones of the country. The membership of the Special Committee is broadly representative, comprising delegates from all 36 states of the Federation, including representatives of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as women and persons with disabilities.

This article reflects on the substance and significance of various proposals that aim to resolve the numerous demands identified. It situates them within the broader trajectory of Nigeria’s constitutional development and considers what their successful enactment—or failure—might mean for the country’s democratic evolution.

Constitutional Reform in Nigeria: Persistent Starts and Stalls

Constitutional reform in Nigeria has often been a cyclical exercise, typically driven by political expediency rather than sustained consensus. The 1999 Constitution, drafted in the shadow of military rule, has faced steady criticism for being overly centralized, insufficiently democratic, and unresponsive to Nigeria’s diversity and security challenges.

Particularly striking was the National Assembly’s failure to pass key gender equality bills in 2022, despite widespread advocacy and civil society pressure.

Efforts to revise the Constitution have occurred across multiple legislative cycles—in 2010, 2014, and most recently in 2022—with mixed results. Particularly striking was the National Assembly’s failure to pass key gender equality bills in 2022, despite widespread advocacy and civil society pressure. While several factors have been identified as reasons for past failure, particular attention has been drawn to the lack of public participation and inclusivity, and the procedural stages at which the bills were rejected. Notably, some proposals failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, while others that passed both chambers did not receive the necessary approvals from state Houses of Assembly, as required by the 1999 Constitution. That experience highlighted the deep-rooted tensions between elite political interests and progressive reform agendas.

(...) [T]he current package of amendments appears (...) ambitious, both in scope and in thematic coherence.

Despite these failed experiences, the current package of amendments appears even more ambitious, both in scope and in thematic coherence. With more than 80 proposals touching core constitutional questions, the reform effort is shaping up as a defining test of whether Nigeria’s legislative institutions can deliver on structural change.

Key Themes in the 2025 Amendment Package

1. Judicial Independence

Several bills reportedly seek to bolster the financial autonomy and efficiency of Nigeria’s judiciary. These include provisions addressing the issue of direct funding of state judiciaries (funds received from the government budget without intermediaries), clarifying timelines for concluding certain cases, and granting constitutional status to the Executive Order granting autonomy to the state judiciary and legislature. Such reforms, if enacted, would enhance the institutional independence of the courts—long constrained by executive interference and budgetary uncertainty.

However, the effectiveness of these proposals depends on their integration with broader reforms to the National Judicial Council—Nigeria’s independent judicial oversight body—whose opaque appointment processes and limited enforcement mechanisms have drawn criticism. Without a more holistic approach to judicial accountability, the formal guarantees of independence may yield limited practical impact.

2. Electoral Reform

Electoral credibility remains one of Nigeria’s most contested democratic questions. The amendment package reportedly includes provisions aimed at expanding the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission, establishing clear timelines for the judicial resolution of election petitions, and possibly opening the door to diaspora voting. These steps would align with long-standing recommendations from domestic observers and international election missions.

Proposals to insulate local electoral commissions from state governors' influence are especially important given widespread manipulation of grassroots polls.

Notably, these reflect a renewed attention to the structure of local government elections. Proposals to insulate local electoral commissions from state governors' influence are especially important given widespread manipulation of grassroots polls. Still, political will across state legislatures will be crucial, as these bodies must approve any constitutional amendments before they take effect.

3. Security and State Policing

Amid persistent insecurity and growing calls for decentralised policing, the amendment bills include proposals to allow for the establishment of state-level police forces. This has long been a flashpoint in Nigeria’s federalism debate, balancing the need for localised security structures against fears of abuse by subnational actors. If adopted, these amendments would mark a significant shift from Nigeria’s current system of centralised policing by granting states the authority to maintain their own law enforcement agencies.

While proponents argue that state-level police would enable faster response and more contextual law enforcement, critics warn about the potential for politicisation and human rights violations in the absence of strong oversight mechanisms. It remains unclear whether the bills address these accountability gaps in any substantive way.

4. Governance Structure and Devolution

Another core area of the proposed reform relates to Nigeria’s federal structure. The amendments reportedly touch on issues such as the devolution of powers to subnational units, greater fiscal autonomy for states, and clearer definitions of the federal and concurrent legislative lists.

{...) [S]imilar proposals in past amendment cycles have failed due to political resistance, especially from actors who benefit from the current centralized system.

If implemented, these reforms could recalibrate the balance between the central government and the states, making governance more responsive and efficient. However, similar proposals in past amendment cycles have failed due to political resistance, especially from actors who benefit from the current centralized system.

5. Gender Inclusion: A Second Chance?

Perhaps most symbolically significant is the proposed reintroduction of gender inclusion proposals—some of which mirror the rejected bills of 2022. These include reserved legislative seats for women, affirmative action in political party structures, and citizenship reforms to eliminate gender-based discrimination.

The defeat of these bills in 2022 sparked nationwide protests and highlighted the deeply patriarchal nature of Nigeria’s political class. Their reappearance in the current amendment package signals a possible shift in legislative attitudes, but success will depend on sustained civil society pressure, cross-party advocacy, and active engagement by women legislators.

Process, Participation, and Legitimacy

As of late May 2025, approximately 14 constitutional amendment bills had progressed through either their first or third readings.

As of late May 2025, approximately 14 constitutional amendment bills had progressed through either their first or third readings. Once the Special Committee on Constitutional Review concludes its examination of the draft amendments, then bills that pass their third reading in one chamber are referred to the other chamber for concurrence. In accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, constitutional amendments must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. If this threshold is met, the amendments are then transmitted to the state legislatures, where they must be ratified by at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly. Where applicable, presidential assent may also be required to complete the process.

This process is quite rigid as it requires taking into account the demands of divergent groups in the country. To ensure participatory legitimacy, the Special Committee on Constitutional Review has begun public hearings on the proposed amendments and recently outlined a detailed schedule of engagements aimed at advancing the process. This includes a meeting with the Nigerian Governors Forum in July 2025, intended to present the bills under consideration and seek support for contentious proposals. A joint retreat with Senate members and Speakers of the 36 state Houses of Assembly is planned for late September to harmonize the bills. Media executives, civil society groups, and the diplomatic community are also slated for engagement to promote public discussion and education on the issues at hand.

Transparency and participation in the consolidation and final formulation of the bills will be key to building trust in the process.

As previous reform cycles have been criticised for being elite-driven and opaque, it remains to be seen whether these initiatives will facilitate genuine public dialogue or merely rubber-stamp pre-agreed outcomes. Transparency and participation in the consolidation and final formulation of the bills will be key to building trust in the process. Additionally, the role of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly—as gatekeepers of constitutional amendments—are bound to introduce another layer of political complexity, as their votes are required for each amendment to pass.

Next Steps and Conclusion: A Constitutional Crossroads

The Committee has expressed its intention to complete the entire constitutional amendment process by December 2025.

In terms of next steps, public hearings on 87 prioritized bills are scheduled across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones in July, along with consultations with registered political parties and a national hearing. The Committee expects to hold a plenary debate in October, with voting set for mid-October and transmission of the bills to State Assemblies by the end of the month. The Committee has expressed its intention to complete the entire constitutional amendment process by December 2025. While these steps suggest an organized approach, the ultimate success of the process remains uncertain, given the two-thirds threshold of the constitutional amendment procedure and Nigeria’s history of stalled reforms and entrenched political resistance.

Nigeria finds itself once again at a constitutional crossroads. The 2025 amendment package presents a rare window for comprehensive reform, touching nearly every fault line in the country’s democratic architecture. But the road ahead is fraught with political trade-offs, institutional inertia, and the possibility of elite capture. Whether these amendments usher in genuine transformation or reinforce existing inequalities will depend not only on their content but also on the integrity of the process, the resolve of reformers, and the mobilisation of a demanding public. For a country whose democratic project remains unfinished, this could be a defining moment—or another missed opportunity.

Professor Azubike Chinwuba Onuora-Oguno is a Nigerian legal scholar specializing in international human rights law. He holds an LL.B from the University of Ilorin, a BL from the Nigerian Law School, as well as an LL.M in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa and an LL.D in International Human Rights Law from the University of Pretoria. His research focuses on the constitutional intersection with the right to education, minority rights, and socio-economic rights within African human rights frameworks. He has held visiting positions at institutions including Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, and the University of Torino. He is former Vice President and current Membership Officer (West Africa) of the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers.

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Suggested citation: Azubike Chinwuba Onuora-Oguno, ‘A New Constitutional Moment? Nigeria’s Legislature Revives Reform Ambitions in Sweeping Amendment Package’, ConstitutionNet, International IDEA, 4 June 2025, https://constitutionnet.org/news/voices/new-constitutional-moment-nigerias-legislature-revives-reform-ambitions-sweeping-amendment

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