The Nigerian House of Representatives on Thursday rejected bill seeking to amend sections of the 1999 Constitution to expand the scope of Islamic law.
The bill, sponsored by lawmaker Aliyu Missau, aimed to remove the word “personal” from mentions of “Islamic law” in sections 24, 262, 277, and 288 of the constitution, which would have allowed Islamic law to extend beyond personal matters into areas like commercial and international law.
Missau argued that the current wording of the constitution limits Islamic law to personal matters, such as marriage and inheritance, preventing its application to Islamic commercial law.
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“The 1999 constitution provided for personal Islamic law. The constitution did not envisage the dynamism and development that may come into the country,” he stated, citing the example of Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s first Islamic bank, which operates under principles of Islamic commercial law.
Supporters of the bill, including northern lawmakers like AbdulHakeem Ado from Kano and Saidu Abdullahi from Niger, argued that removing “personal” would allow the growing area of Islamic finance to thrive.
“Islamic commercial law needs to be sustained,” Ado said, emphasizing the need for legislative support for the sector’s growth.
However, southern representatives voiced strong opposition, viewing the proposed amendment as an attempt to expand the reach of Sharia law.
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Solomon Bob from Rivers argued that the term “personal” was intentionally included by the framers of the constitution to restrict Islamic law to individual matters. “If the word ‘personal’ is removed, Islamic law would have broader implications,” he cautioned.
Lawmakers Jonathan Gaza from Nasarawa, Ademorin Kuye from Lagos, and Awaji-Inombek Abiante from Rivers also expressed concerns that the amendment could disrupt the secular nature of the constitution and expand Sharia law beyond its intended scope.
The debate reflected regional divides within the chamber, as many lawmakers from the north supported the bill while those from the south opposed it.
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When Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, who presided over the session, called for a voice vote, the majority ruled against the amendment, effectively rejecting the proposal.
The rejection of this bill underscores the House’s cautious stance on any amendment that could alter the application of religious law in the country’s secular constitution.