The National Assembly has approved the creation of a new South-East state, bringing the region’s total to six in a bid to promote equity and national balance

South-East new state creation has been approved by the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review, marking a major step toward addressing the long-standing call for regional balance in Nigeria’s federation.

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The landmark decision was reached during a two-day retreat held in Lagos, where lawmakers deliberated on 55 proposals for new states across the country, according to Vanguard.

With this development, the South-East — currently comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States — is set to gain a sixth state, aligning it more closely with other geopolitical zones that have six or seven states each.

The session was chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and co-chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who has been one of the strongest advocates for the new state.

Kalu described the move as a step toward equity, justice, and fairness, noting that the South-East had been underrepresented in Nigeria’s state structure since 1996.

During the plenary session, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved the motion for the new state’s creation, seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State). The proposal received unanimous support from the joint committee members.

In addition to the South-East’s new state, the joint committee also constituted a subcommittee to examine the wider demand for more states and local government areas nationwide, as lawmakers disclosed that 278 proposals had been submitted for review.

Addressing members at the retreat, Senator Barau Jibrin urged legislators to rally support across both chambers of the National Assembly and among state assemblies to ensure the resolutions succeed during the constitutional amendment voting stage.

“We need to strengthen what we have started so that all parts of the country will key into this process,” Jibrin said. “By the time we get to the actual voting, we should already have the buy-in of all stakeholders.”

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If the approval scales through all constitutional processes, the new state will mark the first structural change in Nigeria’s federal system in nearly three decades, symbolising a renewed effort toward political balance and inclusivity.