The last time new states were created in Nigeria was in 1996 by the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha. He created six states, namely, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa and Zamfara states. These additional states brought the total number of states to 36.
Ever since then, there has been agitation for the creation of new states in all the geo-political zones. Those in favour argue that new states would bring governance closer to the people, promote economic development, and address longstanding ethnic and regional grievances. On the other hand, critics point out that creating new states would exacerbate Nigeria's already dire financial situation.
Both arguments are plausible, but the latter sinks deeper in reality and when put into proper context. To examine this, the 36 states currently owe over ₦11 trillion in debts, while the federal government owes over ₦134 trillion. Also, 32 out of the 36 states rely heavily on allocations from the federal government in order to function. So, adding 31 new states as proposed by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review would increase the financial burden, as it would require more governors, lawmakers, and other officials as well as government agencies, ultimately leading to higher costs.
It is, therefore, imperative that the issue of state creation is properly thought after. While the creation of new states might address some regional grievances, the financial implications should be thoroughly considered and whether Nigeria can afford the additional costs. The current economic challenges, including a significant debt burden and reliance on federal allocations, suggest that creating new states might not be the most pressing priority.
More so, even if we have to tinker with the idea of new states, 31 is just too much. That will mean a total of 67 states. It is far higher than what the Senate Committee on Constitution Review proposed in 2020. The committee settled for the creation of 23 new states, which would have brought the total number of states to 59. But that proposal did not move forward.
The proposed new states are spread across the six geopolitical zones. In the North-Central: Benue Ala State, Okun State, Okura State, Confluence State, Apa-Agba State, and Apa State. In the North-East: Amana State, Katagum State, Savannah State, and Muri State. North-West: New Kaduna State, Gurara State, Tiga State, Kainji State, and Ghari State. While in the South-East: Etiti State, Adada State, Urashi State, Orlu State, and Aba State. Also, South-South: Ogoja State, Warri State, Bori State, and Obolo State. And then South-West: Toru-Ebe State, Ibadan State, Lagoon State, Ijebu State, and Oke-Ogun State.
Even with the 31 states that have been proposed, there are still calls for more to be added. For instance, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural organization of the Ijaw people, has called for the creation of two additional states—Toru-Ebe and Oil Rivers—citing decades of political marginalization and environmental degradation. According to the INC, Toru-Ebe State would span local government areas in Delta, Edo, and Ondo states, with Burutu as its capital. While Oil Rivers State would cover Ijaw LGAs in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, with Southern Harcourt City proposed as its capital.
In the same vein, the people of Delta North, the Igbo-speaking area of Delta State, are seriously clamouring for Anioma State. This clamour is not new as it dates back to Nigeria’s independence. Despite meeting the requirements outlined in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution for state creation, the people have not been successful with their legitimate demand. It is worrisome that the parliamentary committee did not list Anioma as among the proposed states.
While the fresh proposal has sparked intense debate among Nigerians, we restate that the agitation for new states is driven by various factors, including the desire for greater autonomy, better representation, and more effective governance. However, it is also driven by selfish political interest by some greedy politicians who have been unsuccessful in their governorship bid as well as those whose eyes are fixed on becoming governors. In their thinking, a new state will be the meal ticket to find their way to the Government House. They don't care about any other thing.
While the issue of state creation continues to dominate public discourse, we think that the South-East zone should be prioritized. As it stands, it is the only zone with 5 states in all the geo-political zones. This translates to fewer federal allocations, reduced representation in the National Assembly, and less political influence. This seemingly imbalance needs to be corrected. It is a historical injustice that has stayed for too long. The creation of an additional state in the zone will correct the existing anomaly, marginalization, and decades of neglect. The new state would not only address all the disparities but also serve as a major step towards national integration.
If we need to balance Nigeria’s federal structure for national unity and cohesion, then the focus should be on the new state in the South-East. The creation would harmonise the number of states across all the geopolitical zones. So, in light of this, let us be patriotic with the agitation for state creation in order to balance our federal structure for peace and stability.
