The National Assembly of Nigeria is set to deepen the digitization of parliamentary records, translating Nigerian laws into Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and other local languages. This move aims to preserve the country's democratic memory and expand public access to legislative information. The initiative was announced by Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwawuba, during the 2026 National Assembly Library Week in Abuja.
The National Assembly Library is working to ensure lawmakers, legislative aides, researchers, and stakeholders have access to authoritative parliamentary records. These records include Order Papers, Votes and Proceedings, committee reports, Acts passed by the National Assembly, gazetted laws, and oversight manuals. The library is investing in electronic repositories and upgrading its E-Library, while developing a National Assembly Library mobile application.
A new Bills Tracker will enable users to follow bills and monitor their progress through the legislative process. The library is also developing infographics, audiovisual materials, and video explainers to simplify Bills, Acts, and legislative procedures for Nigerians. These initiatives aim to address inconsistencies in official parliamentary documents and the circulation of fake or unauthorized copies of National Assembly records.
The planned translation of laws into local languages will broaden access to legislative information, enabling more citizens to understand laws that affect their daily lives. The library will also organize public policy dialogues to deepen citizens' participation in public hearings and create opportunities for interaction among legislators, citizens, researchers, and stakeholders.
Representing the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Senator Osita Ngwu urged lawmakers to utilize the library, particularly in an era of increasing misinformation and disinformation. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, emphasized the importance of legislative records in understanding Nigeria's legislative history and strengthening democratic governance.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, stressed that the National Assembly cannot be truly independent without the capacity to generate, preserve, retrieve, and authenticate its institutional knowledge and records. He identified the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings, and Hansard as key components of Nigeria's democratic memory.
Ogunlana also called for stronger collaboration among the National Assembly, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, and the Federal Government Press to ensure Nigerians have easy access to current and authoritative versions of federal laws. The continued widespread use of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN 2004, highlights the challenges of maintaining a current and authoritative consolidated body of federal legislation.
Key points
- The National Assembly of Nigeria is digitalizing parliamentary records and translating laws into local languages to preserve the country's democratic memory.
- The library is developing a mobile application and a Bills Tracker to make legislative information more accessible to lawmakers, staff, researchers, and the public.
- The initiative aims to address inconsistencies in official parliamentary documents and the circulation of fake or unauthorized copies of National Assembly records.
