The National Assembly of Nigeria plans to translate the country's laws into local languages, including Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba, to make legislative information more accessible to citizens. This initiative aims to deepen the digitization of parliamentary records and promote public access to laws that affect daily life. The project was announced by Mr. Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, during the 2026 National Assembly Library Week in Abuja.
The National Assembly Library Trust Fund is investing in electronic repositories and upgrading its E-Library to provide lawmakers, legislative aides, researchers, and the public with access to authoritative parliamentary records. The library is developing a mobile application to make legislative information more accessible and plans to introduce a Bills Tracker, enabling users to follow bills and monitor their progress through the legislative process. 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 is part of a broader effort to promote legislative research, access to information, and the effective utilization of the National Assembly Library's resources. The library serves as the knowledge infrastructure of the legislature and a repository of parliamentary records. According to Nwawuba, the library is working to simplify Bills, Acts, and legislative procedures for Nigerians through infographics, audiovisual materials, and video explainers.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged lawmakers to make greater use of the library, particularly in an era of increasing misinformation and disinformation. Akpabio, represented by Sen. Osita Ngwu, described the library as a critical link between evidence, knowledge, and legislative decision-making. He called for continued support for the library's development to ensure that lawmakers have access to accurate and reliable information.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, emphasized the importance of legislative records in understanding Nigeria's legislative history and strengthening democratic governance. Tajudeen, represented by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, noted that the strength of a legislature should be measured not only by the laws it enacts but also by how effectively it documents its activities and preserves institutional knowledge.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, highlighted the challenges of maintaining a current and authoritative consolidated body of federal legislation. He noted that the continued widespread use of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN 2004, reflected the challenges of updating laws whenever a new Act is enacted. Ogunlana emphasized the need for the National Assembly to strengthen cybersecurity, digital preservation, and secure authentication as parliamentary records become increasingly digitized.
The National Assembly Library plans to evolve beyond being a repository of documents to becoming an institution where parliamentary knowledge is preserved, authenticated, and made accessible to lawmakers, researchers, and the wider public. The President of the Nigerian Library Association, Dr. Lawal Umar, called for sustained investment in libraries and modern information technology to improve access to legislative information.
Key points
- The National Assembly will translate Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, and other local languages to expand public access to legislative information.
- The National Assembly Library Trust Fund is investing in electronic repositories and upgrading its E-Library to provide access to authoritative parliamentary records.
- The library plans to introduce a Bills Tracker and mobile application to make legislative information more accessible to lawmakers, researchers, and the public.
