A bill to amend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and reduce the minimum age for those seeking to become state governors or senators from 35 to 30 has scaled its second reading in the House of Representatives.
The proposal, titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Reduce the Age for Qualification for Membership of the Senate and Office of the Governor and for Related Matters (HB. 2235)’, is sponsored by Esin Martin Etim from Akwa Ibom State and twenty-four of his colleagues.
Nigeria’s current rules allow citizens to run for the House of Representatives from age 25, but they must wait an additional decade before aspiring to the Senate or a governorship.
Etim told the chamber that this gap has become a major hurdle for young lawmakers trying to rise within the system.
READ ALSO: Reps Ask FG To Halt WAEC’s 2026 CBT Plan Over Fears Of Mass Failure
He said the age requirement “restricts the political progression of young legislators,” explaining that many who enter the House at 25 and complete two terms by 33 are still shut out from contesting higher office.
The bill aims to close that gap by setting the minimum age at 30, which he described as both reasonable and fair.
When Speaker Tajudeen Abbas put the proposal to a voice vote, it sailed through its second reading with broad support and without debate. He then referred it to the House Committee on Constitution Review for further work.
If eventually passed, the amendment would mark another significant shift in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape, building on earlier reforms that lowered age limits for elective offices and strengthened calls for deeper youth participation in governance.