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If there was any uncertainty about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu viewing restructuring as beyond a mere election promise, last week offered perhaps the strongest indication so far that, to him, it has always been a long-standing political initiative whose components are slowly coming together.

The Senate’s approval of the Executive Bill on State Police on Wednesday was more than just a routine legislative act. It marked another significant step in a process that started well before Tinubu took office at the Presidential Villa. Although the constitutional amendment still needs to overcome key challenges, such as endorsement by the House of Representatives and approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly before receiving presidential signature, the Senate’s move signified something far greater: the formal recognition of an idea that Tinubu has advocated for almost three decades.

The procedure has now progressed past the Presidency. It is now the responsibility of the National Assembly and, eventually, the constituent states. However, no genuine analyst of Nigeria’s political development can dispute the origin of this proposal. This idea stems from Tinubu. It stands as one of the key elements of his long-term push for a genuinely federal Nigeria.

Tinubu has taken a distinct approach. Instead of just expressing his beliefs from the sidelines, he has utilized the authority of his position to gradually move the discussion from theory to constitutional practice.

The Senate’s approval of the Executive Bill last week was therefore important not just because another constitutional amendment passed a crucial phase. It was significant because one of the most enduring discussions in Nigeria’s democratic past has finally started to take on legal form.

Interestingly, the legislation itself seeks to address numerous concerns that have traditionally been associated with state police forces. The clauses enable the National Assembly to set baseline national standards for recruitment, training, promotions, accountability, discipline, use of firearms, data handling, and professional behavior. It also clearly forbids governors from using state police for political, ethnic, regional, or personal purposes, and outlines protections such as presidential approval, Senate supervision, and judicial review in cases where federal involvement is required.

These are not random clauses. They represent years of discussion and the understanding that decentralization needs to be paired with responsibility.

A similarly significant aspect was the wide-ranging alliance that supported the law. The attendance of governors, attorneys-general, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President’s Chief of Staff, and high-ranking federal officials within the Senate room demonstrated how an idea once seen as politically controversial has gradually evolved into a nationwide agreement.

Even more revealing was the involvement of legislators who openly acknowledged shifting their previous stances. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe admitted that deteriorating security issues had led him to drop his earlier resistance to state police forces. Former Sokoto governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also emphasized his long-held backing for decentralized policing as a crucial element of true federalism. This agreement might reflect Nigeria’s present security situation more effectively than any scholarly article could.

However, for Tinubu, state police is just one part of a larger restructuring approach. Since taking office in May 2023, his government has quietly worked on what can best be called gradual federalism; dismantling years of excessive centralization sector by sector rather than aiming for a comprehensive constitutional overhaul.

The initial significant development was the Electricity Act, which ended the long-standing federal control over electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. By allowing states to develop electricity markets, set up independent regulatory bodies, and grant licenses to operators within their areas, the law significantly transformed one of the most centralised parts of the Nigerian economy.

Countries no longer need to wait endlessly for Abuja before establishing their own electricity systems. Some have already passed supportive legislation and started building their own regulatory structures.

A significant development occurred following the Supreme Court’s decision that recognizes financial independence for Nigeria’s 774 local government councils. While execution is still ongoing, the Tinubu administration has repeatedly supported the ruling and emphasized that local governments should have direct access to their constitutionally allocated funds instead of being seen as parts of state administrative systems. Once more, the core idea is clear: empower each level of government by enabling them to carry out duties outlined in the Constitution.

The tax changes introduced by the administration align well within the same structure. In addition to streamlining tax management, minimizing overlapping taxes, and promoting investment, the reforms aim to enhance fiscal strength throughout the federation. When paired with the elimination of subsidies and adjustments to exchange rates, they have significantly boosted the Federation Account funds allocated to states, enabling local governments to better fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.

For many years, Nigeria’s federal system has faced criticism for placing significant duties on states while keeping most financial power concentrated at the national level. Tinubu seems committed to addressing this imbalance, not with major political speeches, but through a series of institutional changes that slowly shift responsibility, resources, and decision-making authority.

From this wider viewpoint, the State Police Bill is neither separate nor coincidental. It represents another precisely placed component in a broader constitutional structure.

Some of the President’s opponents might take issue with certain elements of his economic changes or express concerns about the speed of their execution. However, few would argue against the steadfast nature of his federalism plan. From electricity, to local government independence, tax policies, or law enforcement, the course has stayed remarkably steady.

Last week provided another example of this steadfast approach outside of Nigeria. When President Tinubu met with members of the African Minerals Strategy Group at the State House on Tuesday, the discussion moved from Nigeria’s restructuring to redefining Africa’s position.

Yet the philosophy stayed remarkably alike. Just as he believes governments should take more control over duties that naturally belong to them, Tinubu stated that Africa must take more responsibility for the wealth naturally found beneath its land. His message was direct and difficult to hear. The rest of the world, he noted, would not worry about Africa’s poverty as long as the continent kept exporting raw materials while buying finished goods made elsewhere. These statements highlighted a painful historical truth.

For many years, Africa has provided the raw materials fueling global industrial growth, yet only a small portion of the value generated from these resources has been returned to the continent. Lithium, cobalt, manganese, rare earth minerals, and various critical metals depart from African ports in their raw form, later returning as advanced technologies that carry significantly higher prices. Tinubu urged African governments to put an end to this cycle.

His prescription extended beyond simply seeking improved prices for raw exports. He promoted investment in research, technology, refining capabilities, and industrial value chains that could turn mineral wealth into national prosperity. His main point was fundamentally about ownership; ownership not only of resources but of the entire economic process that transforms these resources into employment, technological advancement, innovation, and wealth.

It was hard to ignore the intellectual link between his domestic and continental communications. In Nigeria, he aims to transfer power nearer to the individuals most impacted by public policy. Throughout Africa, he contends that economic value should stay close to the continent that supplies the world’s strategic minerals. Diverse topics. Unified approach to governance.

Regardless of the topic—be it law enforcement in Zamfara, energy sectors in Enugu, municipal funding in Osun, or valuable minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo—the central issue consistently emerges: who genuinely controls power, accountability, and wealth?

In addition to these significant actions, the week still highlighted the wide range of a presidency that was simultaneously handling governance, building institutions, and providing political leadership. Tinubu praised Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his strong re-election, encouraging him to lead with generosity, while also offering high praise to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and businessman Adewale Tinubu for their respective roles in national progress.

He named former University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, as the head of the NUC Governing Board, created the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office to enhance digital healthcare initiatives, enacted the new NIMC Act anticipated to boost national security and public service efficiency, received Mastercard’s initiative to provide digital skills to five million Nigerian businesses, and confirmed new appointments to important federal organizations.

Last week, it was proposed that President Tinubu thinks the solution should increasingly come from those nearest to both the challenges and the possibilities. The State Police Bill still has a long constitutional journey ahead before Nigerians witness officers donning the symbols of their respective states. The House of Representatives needs to approve it. State legislatures must cast their votes. Implementation structures need to be carefully crafted.

Still, history frequently captures not just the ultimate goal but also the instances when seemingly impossible journeys turn into irreversible paths.

For Tinubu, last week could be recalled as one of those significant instances. The dialogue he initiated as Governor of Lagos almost three decades ago has now become part of the constitutional framework of the Nigerian federation. The destination of this path may rely on various institutions outside the Presidency. However, there is little argument about who initially charted the course.