House of Reps Considers Bill to Limit Number of Ministers to 37
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review is deliberating a bill aimed at amending Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution to limit the number of ministers appointed by the president to 37.
The proposed legislation, titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Streamline the Number of Ministers to be Appointed to the Federal Executive Council, is currently under review by the committee, which is chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Sponsored by Mansur Soro and other lawmakers representing Bauchi and Borno states, the bill seeks to amend Section 147(1) of the Constitution, proposing that the number of ministers in the Federal Executive Council be capped at 37, down from the current 45. Under President Bola Tinubu, the council currently comprises 45 ministers, including substantive ministers and ministers of state.
The proposed amendment reflects an effort to streamline Nigeria’s cabinet, which traditionally includes one minister from each of the 36 states, with room for additional appointments to address various needs. However, the bill seeks to address concerns about the duplication of duties, high costs, and inefficiency within the government.
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Mansur Soro, the lawmaker representing Darazo/Ganjuwa in Bauchi State, explained that the bill is designed to curb the rising cost of governance and address the issue of unequal representation. “We need to reduce the cost of governance, address inequality in ministerial appointments, and minimize overlapping ministerial mandates,” he told Sunday PUNCH.
Soro, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further criticized the disparity in the number of ministers appointed from each state, highlighting the case of Ogun State, which has four ministers, while other states have one each. “Is that fair? The president can appoint technocrats and politicians to other federal agencies, without needing to pack the cabinet with ministers,” he added.
The bill also reflects broader concerns about the efficiency of Nigeria’s federal system, with many questioning the value of having a minister from each state. Soro suggested that one minister per state, including the Federal Capital Territory, could be sufficient to represent the country’s diverse interests.
Alongside this, the committee is also reviewing another bill that proposes changes to Section 62 of the Constitution to ensure the observance of the federal character principle in the appointment of principal officers in the National Assembly.
