The Constitution has been altered five times since 1999. Each alteration required compliance with the rigorous procedure in Section 9 — a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and ratification by not fewer than 24 State Houses of Assembly. Every key change from every alteration act is highlighted below.
29 May 1999 — Promulgation
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999
Original Enactment · Signed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar
The 1999 Constitution was decreed into law by the outgoing military government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar and came into force on 29 May 1999 when power was transferred to President Olusegun Obasanjo. It established the Fourth Republic on a federal presidential structure with 36 states, 774 local government areas, and the Federal Capital Territory. The Constitution created the three arms of government — the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary — with elaborate provisions on their composition, powers, and inter-relationships.
- Established the Federal Republic as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state governed on the principles of democracy and social justice
- Created a bicameral National Assembly — Senate (109 senators) and House of Representatives (360 members)
- Entrenched a Bill of Rights under Chapter IV (Sections 34–46) — right to life, dignity, fair hearing, freedom of expression, association and movement
- Introduced a two-term presidential limit of four years each under Section 137(1)(b)
- Created 36 federating states, 774 local government areas and the FCT
- Established an independent judiciary with the Supreme Court as the apex court
- Set out Exclusive and Concurrent Legislative Lists in the Second Schedule
- Provided the Federal Character Commission to promote national unity
10 January 2011 — First Alteration Act, 2010
First Alteration NEW
Signed by President Goodluck Jonathan · Published 11 January 2011
The First Alteration Act 2010 focused primarily on strengthening the financial independence of the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was the first post-military amendment to the Constitution and was passed by the Sixth National Assembly under President Goodluck Jonathan.
- AMENDED Financial Independence of the National Assembly — Section 81 amended to provide that the National Assembly's share of the Consolidated Revenue Fund is charged directly to the CRF without requiring annual appropriation
- AMENDED INEC Financial Independence — Section 84 amended to provide that INEC's funding is also charged directly to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, removing dependence on executive-controlled appropriation
- AMENDED INEC Composition — Provisions relating to INEC members and their appointment amended to strengthen independence from executive interference
- AMENDED Supreme Court Jurisdiction — Amended provisions relating to the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in relation to certain categories of pre-election matters
10 January 2011 — Second Alteration Act, 2010
Second Alteration NEW
Signed by President Goodluck Jonathan · Published 12 January 2011
The Second Alteration Act 2010 dealt primarily with electoral timelines and INEC's capacity to manage elections. It addressed the operational concerns raised by the 2007 elections and sought to provide INEC with more workable timelines for the conduct of presidential, governorship, and National Assembly elections.
- AMENDED Election Timelines — Amended Section 134 to provide new timelines for the conduct of presidential elections — elections must be conducted at least 60 days before the date of inauguration of the President
- AMENDED Governorship Election Timelines — Section 178 amended to introduce a 60-day advance election window for governorship elections before the incumbent's term expires
- AMENDED National Assembly Elections — Section 76 amended to provide that elections to the National Assembly shall be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiry of the term of the current members
- AMENDED State House of Assembly Elections — Section 116 amended to align timelines for State House of Assembly elections with the new electoral framework
4 March 2011 — Third Alteration Act, 2010
Third Alteration NEW
Signed by President Goodluck Jonathan · Published 7 March 2011
The Third Alteration Act 2010 made the most constitutionally significant structural change of the three 2010 alterations — elevating the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC/NICN) from a statutory court to a court of superior record under the Constitution. This gave the NIC the same constitutional status as the Federal High Court and the State High Courts, and made appeals from it go directly to the Court of Appeal rather than back to the Federal High Court.
- INSERTED National Industrial Court Constitutionalised — A new Section 254A–254F inserted into the Constitution, establishing the NIC as a Superior Court of Record with exclusive jurisdiction over all labour, employment, trade union, and industrial matters
- INSERTED NIC Jurisdiction — Section 254C inserted, giving the NIC exclusive jurisdiction over all matters relating to or connected with any labour, employment, trade unions, industrial relations and matters arising from workplace, the conditions of service including health, safety, welfare of labour, employee, worker and matter incidental thereto or connected therewith
- INSERTED NIC Appeals — Section 243(2) amended and new subsections inserted to provide that appeals from NIC decisions lie to the Court of Appeal, not to the Federal High Court
- AMENDED NIC Application of International Labour Standards — Section 254C(2) inserted to require the NIC to have regard to good or best industrial practice and the terms and conditions of employment in Conventions and Instruments of the International Labour Organisation
- INSERTED Composition of NIC — New provisions on the appointment of President and Judges of the NIC, their qualifications, tenure and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria Act 2006 continued in force
May–June 2018 — Fourth Alteration Acts, 2017
Fourth Alteration NEW
Five Acts · Signed by President Muhammadu Buhari · Eighth National Assembly
The Fourth Alteration comprised five separate Acts signed in May and June 2018. It addressed a range of electoral, governance, and institutional matters — most notably the "Not Too Young To Run" Act which reduced the age requirements for elective offices, granting Nigerian youth greater access to political participation.
- AMENDED "Not Too Young To Run" — Reduction in Age Qualifications (No. 27) — Section 131 amended to reduce the minimum age for President from 40 to 35 years; Section 65 amended to reduce the minimum age for House of Representatives from 30 to 25 years; Section 106 reduced age for State House of Assembly from 30 to 25 years — landmark youth inclusion reform
- AMENDED Bar on Sworn-in Successors from Running for Same Office Twice (No. 16) — Sections 137 and 182 amended to provide that a person who succeeds to the office of President or Governor to complete the term of another person cannot be elected to the same office for more than one further term
- AMENDED Pre-election Matters Jurisdiction (No. 21) — Section 285 amended to determine the timeline for pre-election matters and specify that they must be commenced within 14 days and determined within 180 days
- AMENDED INEC Electoral Powers and Bye-elections (No. 9) — Section 134 and related sections amended to give INEC a wider window (21 days) for conducting bye-elections upon vacancies, and to provide grounds for de-registration of political parties
- AMENDED Financial Autonomy of State Legislatures and State Judiciary (No. 4) — Sections 121 and 162 amended to provide that the funding of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciaries shall be a first charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of each State — a further extension of the financial autonomy agenda begun in the First Alteration
17 March 2023 — Fifth Alteration Acts, 2023
Fifth Alteration MOST RECENT
16 Acts Assented To · Signed by President Muhammadu Buhari · Ninth National Assembly
The Fifth Alteration is the most extensive in terms of the number of Acts — the Ninth National Assembly passed 46 bills through both chambers but President Buhari assented to only 16 on 17 March 2023, days before his administration ended. The Fifth Alteration covers three broad areas: devolution of powers to states, governance reforms, and judicial matters — including constitutional changes of far-reaching consequence for Nigerian federalism.
- AMENDED Railways Devolved from Exclusive to Concurrent List (No. 16) — "Railways" and related matters moved from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List — allowing State Assemblies to make laws on the construction and maintenance of state railway infrastructure — a significant restructuring step
- AMENDED Financial Independence of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciary (No. 6) — Sections 121(3) and 162 amended to guarantee that the budgets of State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciaries are first charges on the States' Consolidated Revenue Funds — strengthening the Fourth Alteration provision and making it more explicit
- AMENDED First Session and Inauguration of Houses of Assembly (No. 8) — Regulation of the first session of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly after elections — resolving the long-standing dispute about who presides at the first sitting of a new legislature
- AMENDED Criminal Procedure References Deleted (No. 9) — Removed references to the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code and Evidence Act from certain sections of the Constitution — bringing the Constitution up to date following the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015
- AMENDED Post-Call Qualification of Secretary of NJC (No. 12) — Provision inserted to clarify the post-call qualification requirement for the appointment of the Secretary to the National Judicial Council
- AMENDED Uniformity of Retirement Age and Pension for Judicial Officers (No. 37) — Amended to ensure uniformity in the retirement age (70 years) and pension rights of judicial officers of all superior courts of record across Nigeria
- AMENDED LGA Name Changes (Nos. 1–5) — Five separate Acts changing the names of local government areas in Ebonyi (Afikpo North and Afikpo South), Kano (Kunchi), Ogun (Egbado North → Yewa North and Egbado South → Yewa South), Imo (Atigbo) and Rivers (Obia/Akpor → Obio/Akpor) States
- NOTE Not Assented To — Of the 46 bills passed by the National Assembly, 30 did not receive presidential assent — including bills on Local Government financial autonomy (direct allocation from FAAC), diaspora voting, establishment of State Security Councils, women representation quotas, and traditional rulers recognition
In Progress — Sixth Alteration (Expected 2025–2026)
Sixth Alteration PENDING
Tenth National Assembly · Constitution Review Committee in Session
Nigeria is currently undergoing a sixth constitutional review process by the Tenth National Assembly under President Bola Tinubu's administration. The Constitution Review Committee has been set up and is working through proposals that include local government financial autonomy (direct FAAC allocation bypassing state governments), expanded devolution of powers, diaspora voting rights, women's affirmative representation, and further electoral reforms. The Sixth Alteration is expected to be completed between 2025 and 2026.
- Local Government financial autonomy — direct allocation from FAAC to LGAs without state government interception (subject of ongoing constitutional and Supreme Court proceedings)
- Diaspora voting — constitutional framework to allow Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in presidential elections
- Women representation — legislative seats reserved for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly
- Further devolution of powers — proposals to move additional items from Exclusive to Concurrent Legislative List