NASS Transmits 1999 Constitution Review Bills To 36 State Assemblies

The long-awaited Constitution Review Bill, known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, has been transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval.

The transmission marks the beginning of the next stage of the constitutional amendment process, with the State Assemblies expected to consider the proposed changes and communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed the development in a statement made available to Parliamentary Correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday.

The sixth alteration covers 12 major areas of constitutional reform. They include electoral reforms, judicial reforms, security and policing, local government administration, inclusive governance and citizenship, the legislature, devolution of powers, human rights, fiscal reforms, strengthening of institutions, traditional institutions, and the creation of states and local governments.

Ogunlana said the bills were transmitted to the respective State Houses of Assembly on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following a directive from the leadership of the National Assembly.

He explained that the transmission was carried out in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides the procedure for altering the Constitution.

Under the constitutional provision, a proposed amendment must receive the support of at least two-thirds of the members of each chamber of the National Assembly and be approved by resolutions of at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

The State Assemblies will therefore play a central role in determining the progress of the proposed constitutional amendments at this stage of the process.

The Clerk requested the State Assemblies to consider the bills in accordance with their respective legislative procedures and forward their resolutions to the National Assembly after completing their deliberations.

He clarified that the Constitution does not prescribe a specific period for the State Houses of Assembly to communicate their decisions on constitutional alteration bills.

However, he said the State Assemblies were expected to complete their consideration and communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly within 30 days of receiving the bills.

Ogunlana stressed that the 30-day period was only an administrative timeframe intended to support an orderly and coordinated process and should not be regarded as a constitutional deadline.

He also said the National Assembly recognised the constitutional responsibilities and independence of the State Houses of Assembly in considering the proposed amendments.

According to him, the National Assembly would continue to follow the constitutional requirements and principles of due process and cooperation between the different levels of the legislature.

Once the resolutions of the State Assemblies are received, the National Assembly will proceed with the remaining constitutional procedures required to advance the proposed alterations.

The development follows earlier consideration of constitutional reform proposals by the National Assembly. The House of Representatives had passed the State Police Bill after 311 members voted in support of it across party lines on July 23, 2026.

Other constitutional amendment bills were not considered or passed before the National Assembly proceeded on its annual recess.

Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the National Assembly to alter constitutional provisions subject to specific approval requirements. For most amendments, the process requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly.

Amendments affecting Section 8, Section 9 itself or Chapter IV of the Constitution, which deals with fundamental rights, require a higher threshold of four-fifths support in each chamber of the National Assembly, alongside approval by at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly.