One recurring theme in the ongoing constitution review by the National Assembly is the renewed agitation for the creation of new states. Currently, no fewer than 20 such demands are on the table, largely originating from minority or disadvantaged groups.
In Katsina State, the people of Funtua zone are pushing for the creation of Karaduwa State. The Idoma-speaking people in Benue want Apa State, believing it will liberate them from what they see as the overwhelming dominance of the Tiv majority. Similarly, Southern Kaduna natives are calling for Gurara State, citing long-standing political and administrative marginalisation under the current Kaduna State arrangement..
From the North-East zone, there are calls for the creation of seven new states. Agitations include Amana from Adamawa, Savannah from Borno, Katagum from Bauchi, Tangalwaja from Gombe, and Muri, Kwararafa, and South Sardauna from Taraba. In the North-Central zone, the demands include Kainji from Niger, Edu from Kebbi, and Okura and Okun from Kogi.
Agitation Galore
The six geopolitical zones propose nearly 30 new states, and the overtures are genuine since no optimum number of states has been defined for the country. If approved, Nigeria would have 66 states. But what really reinforces these agitations? As legitimate as they are, can we justify the creation of more states when most of the existing ones are not economically viable?
When the current National Assembly inaugurated the committee on constitution review, it came as no surprise. As far as there is no breaking with historical precedent, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, were appointed as chairmen of the Senate and House Committees, respectively.
While the committee is considering 87 amendment bills, one issue that has generated the most public interest is the proposal for state creation. Advocates often cite marginalisation, but they rarely address the fundamental question of economic viability.
At the heart of these agitations is a widespread fear, real or perceived, of domination, especially by minority groups. This feeling of exclusion forms the common thread that binds all these demands.
Same Old Fear
However, this fear is not new, as it has been with us for a long time. The Willink Commission was established in 1957, three years before Nigeria’s independence, to investigate and propose solutions to the apprehension of Nigeria’s minority groups. Nearly 70 years later, this widespread unease persists, and there’s nothing to suggest that it is going away anytime soon.
From just three regions in 1960 to the current 36 states, Nigeria has undergone several rounds of state creation, each intended to bring governance closer to the people. But what has it actually produced? More agitations, nothing more, nothing less.
Historically, state creation, from the General Gowon regime to the late General Sani Abacha era, was often driven by the need to address concerns of marginalisation. For instance, the creation of Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Zamfara States by the Abacha junta, was largely a response to calls for self-determination and political visibility. Yet, state creation has neither resolved these issues nor accelerated development. Instead, it has fuelled deeper distrust and weakened national unity. Decades later, those same cries echo louder than ever.
Surprisingly, Nigerians have failed to ask the germane question: How viable are the current states? It is troubling that many existing states still depend almost entirely on federal allocations, struggling with basic obligations like salary payments, but even at that, there is still widespread agitation for more.
The 2024 State of States Report by BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation, revealed a stark reality: only Lagos and Rivers States can meet their operating costs without relying on funds from the federation account. While Ogun, Anambra, Cross River, Kwara, Kaduna, and Edo States can generate enough revenue to cover at least 50% of their operating costs, the rest remain heavily dependent on federal allocation.
Lacking Logic
Against this backdrop, the push for additional states is bereft of logic. That is Nigeria’s tragic irony. We create new universities while the existing ones remain underfunded. We establish new ministries and agencies even when existing ones have overlapping mandates. And now, we demand new states while the current ones barely survive. No serious nation operates this way!
It is baffling that our political conversation always revolves around state creation, as if further fragmentation is the solution to national development.
We must confront the inconvenient truth: state creation is not what Nigeria needs. There’s no evidence that new states will solve old problems. In fact, those advocating for state creation are simply avoiding the real issue: the dysfunction of the current system. Recall that in the early days of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, the federal government had to issue bailouts because many states could not even pay workers’ salaries.
Creating more states only adds layers of bureaucracy, increases costs, and often leads to inefficiency. It stokes ethnic sentiments and other divisive tendencies, undermining national growth and harmony.
Rather than demanding accountability, good governance and inclusive leadership, we preoccupy ourselves with agitation for more states, which will only redraw boundaries. Instead of exploring alternatives like strengthening local government autonomy, fostering regional economic cooperation, and improving governance structures, we are obsessed with carving out more states.
This is self-deceit. Development is a function of sound policy, not the number of states or local governments. Nigeria is blessed with vast human and material resources. Yet, if we were to swap places with China, Nigerians would still yearn to visit China, not because of geography, but because the Chinese have the discipline and leadership required to implement development-focused policies.
Let’s be clear: given our worsening economic and security challenges, compounded by decades of poor leadership, Nigeria has no business agitating for more states. It is an unhelpful distraction and a costly, misplaced priority. We must all rise and reject this dangerous diversion. What Nigeria desperately needs is good governance, not more governors. Who more governors epp?
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