By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review, headed by Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Kalu, is dedicated to inclusive stakeholder engagement in revising Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution. The Committee plans to conduct regional public consultations across the six geo-political zones to collect feedback from the public, civil society organizations, and other interest groups.
According to Hon. Kalu, the Committee will embark on zonal public hearings in 12 centers across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. These hearings are designed to provide an open platform for citizens, civil society organizations, professional bodies, traditional institutions, and other interest groups to express their views and contribute meaningfully to the constitutional reform process.
The zonal public hearings will be held in six centers of the three geopolitical zones in the North from Friday, July 11th to Sunday, July 13th, 2025, and in six centers of the three geopolitical zones in the South from Friday, July 18th to Sunday, July 20th, 2025. The National Public Hearing will be held on Monday, July 21, 2025.
Hon. Kalu informed that there are 86 Constitution Review Bills currently under consideration in the House that will be presented to the general public in the form of a compressed compendium. This compendium will consist of a collation of explanatory memoranda, long titles, and a comprehensive exposé of the Bills for public input.
The Committee will present the Compendium as reference material to all stakeholders and members of the public during the Zonal Public Hearings. This will enable them to understand the legislative proposals and facilitate public engagement by allowing citizens to seek clarifications, critically examine the Bills, and contribute through constructive input.
The proposed laws include Electoral Reforms, Judicial Reforms, Legislature, Inclusive Governance, Security and Policing, Devolution of Powers, Strengthening of Institutions, Traditional Institutions, Fiscal Reforms, Citizenship and Indigeneship, Fundamental Human Rights, Local Government Reform, and Creation of States & Local Governments.
Hon. Kalu emphasized that the Committee is committed to ensuring that the public’s contributions and inputs are crucial to the success of this constitutional review process. “The public’s contributions and inputs are crucial to the success of this constitutional review process,” he said.
The geo-political zonal centers for the North-Central region are Lafia for Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue States, and the Federal Capital Territory FCT. Minna is the center for Niger, Kwara, and Kogi States.
For the North-East region, the centers are Maiduguri for Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States, and Gombe for Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba States.
The Committee helmsman urged the invited stakeholders and the general public to actively participate in the zonal and national public hearings. “We urge the invited stakeholders and the general public to actively participate in the zonal and national public hearings,” he said.
The Committee will consider all the proposals discussed at the public hearings and the resolutions reached. “All the proposals discussed at the public hearings and the resolutions reached will be considered by the Committee to either enrich or discard them,” Hon. Kalu said.
The legislative proposals in the 86 Bills can be downloaded as summarized by the Committee from (link unavailable) This will help review these proposals and provide feedback during the hearings.
The National Public Hearing will provide a platform for stakeholders to come together and discuss the proposed amendments to the Constitution. It will be an opportunity for citizens to have their voices heard and contribute to the shaping of Nigeria’s future.
The Committee’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity is evident in its decision to hold public hearings and provide opportunities for citizens to contribute to the constitutional review process. This approach will help build trust and ensure that the review process is credible and effective.
The success of the constitutional review process depends on the active participation of all stakeholders. The Committee’s efforts to engage with citizens and other stakeholders will help ensure that the review process is inclusive and representative of the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.
