The Nigerian Senate has approved the creation of 12 new states across the country’s six geo-political zones in a landmark legislative move aimed at enhancing equity, representation, and grassroots governance.
The approval followed the adoption of the report by the Senate Committee on State Creation, which passed through its third and final reading on the floor of the upper chamber on Thursday.
According to the report, the creation of the new states is the result of extensive nationwide consultations, public hearings, and memoranda submitted by various stakeholders, including state governments, traditional institutions, and civil society groups.
The newly approved states are as follows:
South West:
Ijebu State – Carved out of Ogun State
Ibadan State – Carved out of Oyo State
South East:
Anim State – From parts of Anambra and Imo States
Adada State – From Enugu State
South South:
Toru-Ibe State – Drawn from sections of Ondo, Edo, and Delta States
Obolo State – From Akwa Ibom State
North East:
Savanna State – From Borno State
Amana State – From Adamawa State
North West:
Tiga State – From Kano State
Gurara State – From Southern Kaduna
North Central:
Okura State – From Kogi State
Apa State – From Benue State
The Senate said the move is intended to correct perceived imbalances in state representation, address developmental gaps, and bring governance closer to the people in underserved areas.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended his colleagues for what he described as “a courageous and unifying decision,” noting that the passage aligns with the aspirations of many Nigerians who have clamored for new states over the years.
A government gazette detailing the boundaries, administrative structures, and transitional guidelines for the new states is expected to be published in the coming weeks.
The proposal will now proceed to the House of Representatives for concurrence and then to the President for assent, in line with constitutional provisions.
If fully ratified, the development will raise the number of states in Nigeria from 36 to 48, marking the first major state creation exercise in the country since 1996.
