The National Assembly’s joint committee on constitutional review has approved the creation of an additional state for the South-East geopolitical zone.
The decision, reached during a two-day retreat in Lagos, aims to bring the South-East’s tally to six states, placing it on par with every other region in Nigeria except the North-West, which has seven. The region is currently the only zone with just five states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
The motion for the new state was championed by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and received unanimous support from the committee. It was formally moved by Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi State and seconded by a lawmaker from Ogun State, signalling cross-regional backing.
Proponents argued that the creation of a sixth state is a matter of “fairness and equity” that would foster a greater sense of belonging for the Igbo people. The region has long argued that its under-representation in the distribution of states—a key unit for political representation and resource allocation—has marginalised it within the federation.
The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who chaired the session, urged members to rally their colleagues to ensure the resolution passes the next legislative stages.
A sub-committee has been established to consider the specific name and capital for the proposed state, as well as other state creation requests from across the country.
The approval is a critical first step, but the process requires further votes in both chambers of the National Assembly and the approval of two-thirds of Nigeria’s state legislatures. If successful, it would be the first new state created in Nigeria since 1996.
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