The main features of the 1946 Richards Constitution of Nigeria were:
(i) Certain services were reserved for the central government and were financed by the central government, e.g. railways, army, post and telegraphs.
(ii) The revenues of Nigeria were apportioned to each region in the form of bulk grants
(iii) The native authorities were linked with the regional assembly and through the latter to the central legislative council.
(iv) The regional councils were used as electoral colleges for representation in the legislative council.
(v) Members of the central legislative council were at the same time members of the regional council; the central legislature had regional instead of national outlook.
(vi) It brought an African unofficial majority into the central legislative council.
(vii) It brought the North and South together under one legislature.
(viii) It led to the creation of regional assemblies with limited powers to legislate on minor matters, subject to the Governor's reserved powers.
(ix) It granted the North a bicameral legislature, that is, the regional assembly and the regional house of chiefs.
(x) Nigerians were in the minority in the central executive council.
(xi) Limited franchise was maintained three representatives were elected for Lagos and one for Calabar.