Constitution alteration to let Nigerians abroad register and vote — amends sections 77(2) and 117(2) so citizenship (not residence) determines eligibility. Passed second reading in the House (20 Nov 2024); referred to the Constitution Amendment Committee, where it has since stalled.
This is a bill, not a signed Act. It must clear every step below before becoming law.
Nigeria's estimated 15-20 million citizens abroad — who send home over $20bn a year — cannot vote, because the Constitution ties voter registration to residence within a Nigerian constituency. This bill amends sections 77(2) and 117(2) of the 1999 Constitution so that every citizen aged 18+, whether resident in or outside Nigeria, may be registered as a voter, paving the way for out-of-country voting run by INEC. It passed second reading in the House of Representatives on 20 November 2024 and was referred to the Committee on the Review of the Constitution; as of mid-2026 it remains stalled at committee within the wider Sixth Alteration package. As a constitutional amendment it needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers and ratification by at least 24 state assemblies before assent.