The Nigerian National Assembly's efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution are facing uncertainty, with concerns that the process may not be completed before the 2027 general elections. The 10th National Assembly had initially projected that the constitutional review exercise would be concluded by December 2025, but that target was missed. The delay has raised concerns among stakeholders, including civil society organizations, about the feasibility of passing the proposed reforms.
A total of 37 priority constitutional alteration bills have been identified by the National Assembly, covering areas such as electoral reforms, judicial administration, security and policing, local government autonomy, women's representation, and devolution of powers. However, only one major amendment proposal, the State Police Bill, has so far crossed the crucial National Assembly-to-state-legislature threshold. The bill was passed by the Senate on June 24, 2026, and subsequently by the House of Representatives on July 23, 2026.
The State Police Bill was transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval. According to the 1999 Constitution, an ordinary constitutional alteration must first secure the support of not less than two-thirds of all members of each chamber of the National Assembly and then be approved by resolutions of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states. The National Assembly has a statutory budget of N1 billion annually for each ad hoc committee set up on Constitution Review.
The ongoing constitution amendment process has been hailed as essential, particularly as political parties prepare for the 2027 electoral cycle. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already formally commenced the 2027 electoral process, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for February 20, 2027, and the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections set for March 6, 2027. INEC has warned of the need for timely action on pending electoral legislation to avoid logistical and implementation challenges.
Even if a constitutional amendment is passed by the National Assembly, the process must still accommodate state-level consideration, the return and collation of resolutions, and the subsequent constitutional procedure before the amendment can take effect. Changes to electoral arrangements, judicial procedures, local government administration, or policing may require consequential legislation, regulations, institutions, funding arrangements, and administrative preparation. This has raised concerns about the feasibility of implementing the proposed reforms.
The constitutional review process itself began with extensive consultations, including 12 zonal public hearings across the six geopolitical zones, alongside consultations involving citizens, traditional rulers, political parties, civil society organisations, women's groups, youth leaders, professional bodies, and security-sector representatives. However, with the 2027 elections approaching, lawmakers will increasingly have to combine legislative responsibilities with constituency activities, party engagements, and the campaign for the general elections.
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre Executive Director, Clement Nwankwo, has warned that political calculations are beginning to compete with the constitutional reform agenda. The National Assembly still has a constitutional window within its tenure, but the 2027 electoral timetable is already active. The outcome will depend on whether the federal legislature can move the outstanding bills through both chambers, whether the state legislatures can consider and resolve transmitted proposals, and whether sufficient institutional preparations can be made.
Key points
- The Nigerian National Assembly's efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution face uncertainty due to delays and the approaching 2027 general elections.
- Only one major amendment proposal, the State Police Bill, has so far crossed the crucial National Assembly-to-state-legislature threshold.
- The 2027 electoral timetable and the complexity of the constitutional amendment process pose significant challenges to the passage of the proposed reforms.
