General Provisions

Supremacy of the Constitution

This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any law inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria

Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nigeria shall be a Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory.

States of the Federation

There shall be 36 States in Nigeria, namely Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

Legislative powers of the Federation

The legislative powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be vested in a National Assembly for the Federation, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.

Executive powers of the Federation

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive powers of the Federation shall be vested in the President and may, subject as aforesaid and to the provisions of any law made by the National Assembly, be exercised by him either directly or through the Vice-President and Ministers.

Judicial powers

The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation. The judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section shall extend to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and any person in Nigeria.

Local government system

The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.

New states and boundary adjustment

An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new State shall only be passed if a request, supported by at least two-thirds majority of members representing the area demanding the creation of the new State in the Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, and the local government councils, is received.

Mode of altering provisions of the ConstitutionAmended · 1

The National Assembly may, subject to the provisions of this section, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution. An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution shall not be passed in either House unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House, and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States.

Footnote · Constitution (Fourth Alteration, No. 9) Act, 2017 (2018)

Prohibition of State Religion

The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.

Public order and public security

The National Assembly may make laws for the Federation or any part thereof with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order and providing, maintaining and securing of such supplies and services as may be designated by the National Assembly as essential supplies and services.

Implementation of treaties

No treaty between the Federation and any other country shall have the force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty has been enacted into law by the National Assembly.