The National Assembly of Nigeria has announced plans to digitize its parliamentary records and translate Nigerian laws into major local languages. This initiative aims to improve public access to legislative information. The move was disclosed by Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, during the opening of the 2026 National Assembly Library Week in Abuja.
The National Assembly Library Week, themed “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People,” is a three-day programme designed to promote legislative research, access to information, and effective utilization of the National Assembly Library's resources. The programme seeks to preserve Nigeria's parliamentary memory and make legislative information more accessible to lawmakers, researchers, and the public.
To achieve this goal, the National Assembly Library Trust Fund is upgrading the National Assembly E-Library and developing a mobile application and Bills Tracker. These tools will enable users to access legislative records and monitor the progress of bills. Additionally, the library will produce infographics, audiovisual materials, and video explainers to simplify Bills, Acts, and legislative procedures for Nigerians.
The Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwawuba, expressed concern over the circulation of fake and unauthorized copies of National Assembly documents. He emphasized that the new initiatives will help improve access to authentic parliamentary records. Nwawuba also announced plans to organize public policy dialogues to promote citizens' participation in public hearings and strengthen interaction among legislators, citizens, researchers, and other stakeholders.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, urged lawmakers to make greater use of the National Assembly Library. This is particularly important in the face of increasing misinformation, disinformation, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Professor Julius Ihonvbere, highlighted the importance of legislative records in understanding Nigeria's legislative history and strengthening democratic governance.
Dr. Tajudeen Abbas noted that technology and artificial intelligence can improve legislative research, records preservation, and access to information. However, he stressed that their adoption must be guided by accuracy, security, and protection of parliamentary records. The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, emphasized that the National Assembly cannot be truly independent without the capacity to generate, preserve, retrieve, and authenticate its institutional knowledge and records.
The National Assembly Library Trust Fund's initiatives have been welcomed by stakeholders, including the Secretary-General of the Conference of Speakers of African Legislatures, Ambassador Debo Oyewale. He called for stronger collaboration among African legislatures in preserving legislative memory and improving access to information. The digitization of parliamentary records and translation of laws into local languages are key steps towards achieving this goal.
Key points
- The National Assembly will digitize parliamentary records and develop tools to improve access to legislative information.
- The initiatives aim to preserve Nigeria's parliamentary memory and promote citizens' participation in public hearings.
- The National Assembly Library will produce simplified materials to explain legislative procedures to Nigerians.
