Calls Intensify for Creation of New States in North-West Nigeria to Boost Development and Security

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s North-West geopolitical zone have intensified calls for the creation of additional states, emphasizing that such a move would enhance development foster equitable distribution of resources and improve security in the region.

These demands were prominently featured during recent public hearings on the review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution held by the National Assembly’s Senate and House committees.

At the North-West zonal public hearing, held in Kano and Sokoto in late July 2025, various proposals emerged from political leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organizations and community representatives.

Among the key suggestions were the creation of new states such as Kainji — carved from parts of Kebbi and Niger States — as well as Bayajidda and Karaduwa from Katsina State Tiga and Ghari from Kano State Gurara and New Kaduna from Kaduna State and Hadeja from Jigawa State.

Proponents of state creation cited rapid population growth, economic viability due to abundant mineral resources historical administrative ties among certain emirates dating back to colonial times and the urgent need to bring governance and development closer to grassroots communities.

Stakeholders also argued that more states would facilitate improved security coordination by enabling localized policy responses tailored to the distinct challenges in various parts of the North-West.

Ahmed Musa Ibeto, chairman of the Kainji State Movement, highlighted that the proposed Kainji State would encompass the Zuru Emirate in Kebbi alongside the Kontagora and Borgu Emirates in Niger State. He explained that this combination would create a state with an estimated population of 2.2 million and a landmass of about 36,800 square kilometers making it among the country’s ten largest states.

Ibeto stressed that the state’s creation would address long-standing justice, equity and security concerns for residents.

The calls for state creation are part of a broader wave of demands across Nigeria, with 31 proposed new states submitted nationwide to the Constitution Review Committee earlier in the year.

However, some experts and legislators caution that the process is complex requiring constitutional amendments, referendums, and approvals by two-thirds majorities in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly.

While the National Assembly has not yet approved any new states, ongoing public hearings provide a platform for voices advocating administrative restructuring as a pathway to more effective governance and development in Nigeria’s fastest-growing regions.

This intensifying demand reflects a growing acknowledgment that the current configuration of states in the North-West may not adequately accommodate demographic, economic and security realities, prompting calls for Nigeria’s federal structure to be recalibrated with additional states to better meet contemporary needs.