The National Assembly has announced plans to translate Nigerian laws into Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and other local languages as part of efforts to improve public access to legislative information and promote citizens’ understanding of laws.
Gatekeepers News reports that Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 2026 National Assembly Library Week.
The three-day event, themed “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People,” is designed to promote legislative research, access to information and the effective use of the National Assembly Library’s resources.
Nwawuba said the library was working to digitise parliamentary records and improve access to information for lawmakers, legislative aides, researchers and members of the public.
He said the trust fund was investing in electronic repositories, upgrading the e-Library and developing a mobile application to make legislative information more accessible.
The executive secretary also announced plans to introduce a Bills Tracker that would enable users to follow proposed legislation and monitor its progress through the legislative process.
According to him, the library is developing infographics, audiovisual materials and video explainers to simplify bills, Acts and legislative procedures for Nigerians.
He said translating laws into Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and other local languages would broaden access to legislative information and enable more citizens to understand laws that affect their daily lives.
Nwawuba added that the initiatives would help address inconsistencies in official parliamentary documents and curb the circulation of fake or unauthorised copies of National Assembly records.
He described the library as the “knowledge infrastructure” of the legislature and a repository of parliamentary records, legislative information, research materials and the institutional memory of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
He said the library would also organise public policy dialogues to encourage citizens’ participation in public hearings and create more opportunities for interaction among legislators, researchers and other stakeholders.
Lawmakers Urged to Leverage Library Resources
Representing Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, Osita Ngwu urged lawmakers to make greater use of the library, particularly amid the growing spread of misinformation, disinformation and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
In a goodwill message, Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, represented by Julius Ihonvbere, House Leader, said legislative records were essential to understanding Nigeria’s history and strengthening democratic governance.
Abbas said the strength of a legislature should be measured not only by the laws it enacts but also by how effectively it documents its activities, preserves institutional knowledge and makes such information available to future generations.
Clerk Calls for Stronger Safeguards for Legislative Records
Kamoru Ogunlana, Clerk to the National Assembly, identified the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings, and Hansard as key components of Nigeria’s democratic memory.
Ogunlana warned against the circulation of incomplete, outdated, altered or unauthorised bills, Acts and other parliamentary documents, noting that digital technology had made it possible for documents to be manipulated and widely circulated within minutes.
He 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 that Nigerians had access to current and authoritative versions of federal laws.
The clerk said the continued widespread use of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN 2004, highlighted the challenges of maintaining an up-to-date and authoritative consolidated body of federal legislation.
He also called for stronger cybersecurity measures, digital preservation systems, secure authentication, access controls, backup systems and staff training as parliamentary records become increasingly digitised.
Meanwhile, Lawal Umar, President of the Nigerian Library Association, called for sustained investment in libraries and modern information technology to improve access to legislative information.
