National Assembly Transmits 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill to 36 State Assemblies

Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process has entered its most decisive stage after the National Assembly formally transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the Houses of Assembly in all 36 states for consideration and approval.

The transmission, carried out by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, followed a directive from the leadership of both chambers and was made in line with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which governs how constitutional changes can become law.

The move shifts the responsibility from the federal legislature to state lawmakers, whose votes will determine whether the proposed amendments progress to the next stage. Under the Constitution, at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly must approve the bill through formal resolutions before it can proceed for presidential assent.

In a statement announcing the development, the National Assembly asked state legislatures to consider the bill according to their respective legislative procedures and return their resolutions within 30 days. However, officials clarified that the 30-day period is an administrative timeline, not a constitutional deadline, as the Constitution does not prescribe a fixed period for state assemblies to conclude deliberations.

The Clerk also stressed that the federal legislature was not directing state assemblies on how to vote, saying the transmission was intended to facilitate the orderly discharge of their constitutional responsibilities while respecting the independence of each legislature.

Although the Sixth Alteration Bill contains multiple reform proposals considered during the 10th National Assembly’s constitutional review exercise, one of the most closely watched measures is the State Police Bill, which seeks to establish a constitutional framework for decentralized policing alongside the existing federal police structure. The proposal has generated significant national debate over security, accountability and the balance of powers between federal and state governments.

Constitutional alteration in Nigeria follows a more rigorous process than ordinary legislation. Bills must first secure the required supermajority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives before being transmitted to the states. Only after obtaining approval from at least two-thirds of state assemblies can the National Assembly complete the process and forward successful amendments for presidential assent.

The coming weeks will therefore place Nigeria’s 36 state legislatures at the centre of one of the country’s most important governance exercises. Their collective decisions will determine whether a new wave of constitutional reforms, including proposals with far-reaching implications for security, governance and institutional structure, ultimately becomes part of the nation’s supreme law.