Constitution of Nigeria

Nigeria's current constitution came into force on 29 May 1999, the day military rule ended and civilian government was restored, opening the period Nigerians call the Fourth Republic. It establishes Nigeria as a federal presidential republic composed of thirty-six states plus the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, with power divided between a federal government and state governments. The constitution includes a dedicated chapter of Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, setting out broad social and economic goals for government even where those goals are not directly enforceable in court, alongside its more conventional chapters on the presidency, the National Assembly and the judiciary. It has been formally amended a number of times since 1999 while remaining the country's foundational law throughout its Fourth Republic.