Senate Set to Hold Public Hearings on 1999 Constitution Review

The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution is set to hold a two-day public hearings scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2025, across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The hearings will take place simultaneously in Lagos, Enugu, Ikot Ekpene, Jos, Maiduguri, and Kano.

Chairman of the committee, Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin, said the hearings are part of a broader national consultation aimed at collecting citizens’ input on major constitutional amendments currently under consideration.

Over 50 proposed amendments will be examined during the hearings. These include issues such as the autonomy of local governments, the creation of state police, judicial reforms, improved gender representation, and the creation of new states. The committee has already received more than 37 memoranda from diverse groups including labor unions, traditional institutions, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. Submissions touch on topics ranging from fiscal federalism to diaspora voting and traditional council recognition.

The review process, which began with a strategic retreat in Kano, is expected to culminate in a final report by December 2025. Senator Jibrin emphasized the committee’s commitment to ensuring that the review is transparent, participatory, and representative of Nigerians’ aspirations.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee, led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, is preparing to conduct its own zonal hearings later in July. The House panel also plans a national-level hearing on July 21 and is scheduled to engage key stakeholders such as state governors, speakers of state assemblies, and members of the diplomatic community.

The National Assembly aims to finalize deliberations and transmit the agreed constitutional amendments to state assemblies for ratification before the end of the year.