Nigeria’s National Assembly plans local-language versions of laws
The National Assembly Library Trust Fund says it will translate Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other local languages as part of a wider effort to improve public access to parliamentary information. Planned digital tools include an electronic repository, a mobile application, a bills tracker and explanatory materials.
Nigeria’s National Assembly plans to translate federal laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other local languages to make legislative information easier for the public to understand. Henry Nwawuba, executive secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, announced the plan in Abuja while opening the 2026 National Assembly Library Week. The three-day programme is intended to promote legislative research, access to information and use of the library’s resources.
Nwawuba said the library was developing electronic repositories and upgrading its e-library. It is also working on a mobile application for lawmakers, legislative aides, researchers and members of the public, as well as a Bills Tracker that would allow users to follow legislation through the parliamentary process. The library is preparing infographics, audiovisual material and video explainers to simplify bills, Acts and legislative procedures.
Nwawuba said translating laws would help more citizens understand rules that affect their lives and could encourage participation in public hearings and policy discussions. He added that the initiatives were partly intended to address inconsistencies in official documents and the circulation of fake or unauthorised copies of parliamentary records. Clerk to the National Assembly Kamoru Ogunlana warned that digitisation also created risks, including cyberattacks, manipulation and impersonation of official sources.
He called for stronger cybersecurity, authentication, access controls, backup systems and staff training. Ogunlana also highlighted the difficulty of maintaining an up-to-date consolidated body of federal law. He said the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 reflected legislation covered by that revision exercise and was not automatically updated whenever a new Act was passed.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, represented at the event, urged greater use and development of the library. They described reliable records as important to legislative decision-making, transparency and the preservation of Nigeria’s democratic history.
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