-
The proposed constitutional amendment to create state police has now been approved by 28 State Houses of Assembly, above the required two-thirds threshold of 24 states. The National Assembly said the approvals had been received and verified, and administrative steps were under way to transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police has crossed the key state-level hurdle required for changes to Nigeria’s Constitution.
The National Assembly said 28 State Houses of Assembly had approved the bill, exceeding the constitutional threshold of approval by at least two-thirds of the 36 states, which is 24.
Clerk to the National Assembly Kamoru Ogunlana said the reports and accompanying Votes and Proceedings from the state assemblies had been received and verified for authenticity.
The measure is formally titled the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026. It had earlier passed the Senate on June 24, 2026, and the House of Representatives on July 23, 2026.
According to the National Assembly, the bill was sent to the 36 state assemblies on September 16, 2026, with a request for responses within 30 days. Although that timeline ended on October 15, the clerk said additional reports would still be received until the bill is transmitted to the President.
The National Assembly also said administrative processes were ongoing to send the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent under the Acts Authentication Act.
The latest development means the proposal has moved beyond the minimum number of state approvals needed for a constitutional amendment at that stage of the process. Any further state responses, if received before transmission, would add to the record but are no longer necessary to meet the threshold already announced by the National Assembly.
Why it matters
State police has been one of the country’s most debated governance and security reforms. The significance of this stage is that the proposal has now secured the number of state approvals required for a constitutional amendment, moving it closer to becoming law.
For many readers, the striking point is not just that the bill passed, but that it has support from 28 states already, four more than the minimum 24 needed. That makes the measure procedurally stronger as it heads to the President.
What it means for your money
There is no immediate direct personal-finance impact confirmed in the brief. For households and businesses, any financial effect would depend on the final law and how any future state police framework is implemented.
-
The next confirmed step is transmission of the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent, a process the National Assembly said is already under way. The clerk also said more state assembly reports may still be received before presidential transmission.
Readers should watch for formal confirmation that the bill has reached the President and for any official decision on assent. Any later details on implementation would come only after that stage.
With 28 state approvals already verified, the state police amendment has cleared the constitutional threshold at state level and is now moving to the President for assent.
Five stories, the key numbers, and why they matter. Free, no ads.
Subscribe free
