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As lawmakers return from their mid-year recess, constitutional reform is set to take centre stage when the National Assembly reconvenes plenary on Tuesday.
Among the top priorities is the ongoing review and amendment of the 1999 Constitution, spearheaded by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who chairs the 47-member Senate Constitution Review Committee.
The committee has scheduled a two-day zonal public hearing to hold concurrently across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones on July 4 and 5, 2025.
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According to a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser to Barau on Media and Publicity, the hearings will take place in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), Maiduguri (North East), and Kano (North West).
“The zonal public hearings are designed to enable Nigerians across the country to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing process of constitutional amendment,” Mudashir said.
The hearings will gather citizens’ views on critical issues including local government autonomy, the creation of state police, the establishment of a state security council, and fiscal reforms to empower institutions like the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
Other proposed amendments include bills to institutionalise timelines for submission of appropriation bills by the president and governors, and legislation to strengthen female political representation. Electoral reforms, particularly amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, are also high on the agenda, aimed at improving transparency and public trust in Nigeria’s elections.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the Assembly remains committed to correcting long-standing structural imbalances in the Nigerian federation.
“We must work together to build a political structure that reflects our aspirations and protects our democracy,” he said.
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Bamidele stressed that constitutional reform must go hand-in-hand with broader legislative priorities such as reducing inflation, securing lives and infrastructure, and ensuring macroeconomic stability.
He also reiterated the Senate’s commitment to environmental legislation, especially as states like Borno continue to suffer from devastating flooding.
Additionally, efforts to resolve the lingering political crisis in Rivers State are expected to be part of the Assembly’s early agenda, alongside a renewed focus on tackling insecurity across several hotspots, including Benue, Plateau, Borno, and Katsina states.
Lawmakers are expected to move motions and engage security agencies through committees and consultations.
The Senate is also likely to revisit the work of its ad-hoc committee on economic sabotage in the oil sector, focusing on persistent issues such as crude oil theft, illegal refineries, and substandard fuel quality.
The possibility of a joint Senate–House of Representatives committee is on the table to harmonise legislative efforts in this area.
Over in the House of Representatives, similar momentum is building. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who chairs the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution, has announced that the lower chamber is working toward concluding the amendment process by December 2025.
According to Kalu, more than 200 bills are currently being considered by the House. These cover reforms ranging from gender equality and inclusive governance to fiscal federalism, judicial reforms, and devolution of powers.
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Like the Senate, the House will also hold zonal public hearings in July to solicit citizens’ input. In a bid to build national consensus, the House committee is planning a joint retreat with critical stakeholders including the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, speakers of the 36 state houses of assembly, political parties, and the Senate Constitution Review Committee.
Benjamin Kalu, House deputy speaker, who chairs the Constitution Review Committee has announced that the process is on track to be completed by December 2025.
Over 200 bills have are being considered at teh Lower House according to Kalu, and covering wide-ranging reforms including gender equality and inclusive governance, national security and policing reforms, fiscal federalism, judicial reforms, and the devolution of powers.
The House has scheduled July for its zonal public hearings to gather citizens’ input on the proposed amendments. To build consensus across levels of government, the committee is also planning a joint retreat with key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, the Senate Constitution Review Committee, political parties, and other interest groups.
A week-long plenary debate on the bills is expected to take place in the House, culminating in a vote scheduled for October 14, 2025. Once passed, the bills will be transmitted to state assemblies on October 30 for ratification, in line with constitutional requirements.
Heightened insecurity is expected to dominate early discussions, as lawmakers return to a country still reeling from violent incidents in Benue, Plateau, and Borno states during the break. Based in precedents, several legislators are expected to move motions on the security situation and propose legislative responses to recent killings and attacks
In addition to the constitution review, the House is expected to prioritise the consideration of budget-related bills. These include proposals from the Rivers State Assembly following its budget defence session, as well as submissions from the Federal Capital Territory and agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House has also reiterated its commitment to recovering over ₦700 billion in debts owed to the Federal Government by oil companies operating in the country.
Meanwhile, political analysts and civil society leaders have begun to articulate their expectations from the amendment process. Chinedu Obi, Director-General of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and National Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), urged the National Assembly to focus on electoral reforms.
“We need compulsory transmission of election results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV),” Obi said.
“The constitution should be amended to remove the power to appoint the electoral umpire from the executive to achieve a truly independent National Electoral Commission. If they can achieve the two, we are good”, he added.
Similarly, Olusegun Elemo, executive director of the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), called on the National Assembly to prioritise the passage of the Federal Audit Service Bill.
The bill is expected to overhaul the country’s audit architecture and improve oversight of how public officials manage revenue and expenditure.
Elemo raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, particularly within the Federal Capital Territory. “Just as they fast-tracked the tax reform bills, lawmakers must treat public finance accountability with the same urgency,” he said.
