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The National Assembly is set to translate Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other indigenous languages as part of efforts to expand public access to legislative information and strengthen citizens’ understanding of the laws governing the country.
The Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwawuba, 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 focused on improving legislative research, access to information and the effective use of resources available at the National Assembly Library.
Nwawuba said the planned translation of laws would make legislative information more accessible to Nigerians, particularly those who may not be proficient in English.
He explained that the initiative formed part of a broader effort to modernise the National Assembly’s information systems and strengthen the connection between Parliament and the public.
According to him, the National Assembly Library Trust Fund is investing in electronic repositories and upgrading its e-library, while also developing a mobile application to provide lawmakers, legislative aides, researchers and members of the public with easier access to parliamentary records.
The planned application is expected to complement other initiatives, including a Bills Tracker that will allow Nigerians to follow bills and monitor their progress through the legislative process.
Nwawuba also disclosed plans to develop infographics, audiovisual materials and video explainers to simplify bills, Acts and legislative procedures for the public.
He said the library would organise public policy dialogues to encourage greater citizen participation in public hearings and create more opportunities for interaction between lawmakers, citizens, researchers and other stakeholders.
The initiatives, he added, are also designed to address concerns over inconsistencies in official parliamentary documents and the circulation of fake or unauthorised copies of National Assembly records.
Speaking at the event, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, urged lawmakers to make greater use of the National Assembly Library, particularly amid growing misinformation, disinformation and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
Akpabio described the library as an important link between evidence, knowledge and legislative decision-making, while calling for continued support for its development.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, represented by the House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, said legislative records were essential to understanding Nigeria’s legislative history and strengthening democratic governance.
Abbas said the strength of a legislature should not be measured solely by the laws it passes, but also by how effectively it documents its activities, preserves institutional knowledge and makes such information available to future generations.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, also stressed the importance of preserving and authenticating legislative records.
Ogunlana warned against the circulation of incomplete, outdated, altered or unauthorised copies of bills, Acts and other parliamentary documents, noting that digital technology had made it easier for manipulated documents to be circulated widely.
He said the National Assembly would need to strengthen cybersecurity, digital preservation, authentication systems, access controls and backup infrastructure as parliamentary records become increasingly digitised.
Ogunlana further noted that the National Assembly Library must evolve beyond simply storing documents to becoming an institution where parliamentary knowledge is preserved, authenticated and made easily accessible to lawmakers, researchers, journalists, civil society organisations, students and the wider public.
The National Assembly’s latest initiative is expected to make federal legislation more accessible to Nigerians while supporting broader efforts to preserve the country’s legislative records and democratic history.
