NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO DIGITISE RECORDS TRANSLATE LAWS INTO LOCAL LANGUAGES
The National Assembly has announced plans to deepen the digitisation of parliamentary records and translate Nigerian laws into Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and other local languages as part of efforts to make legislative information more accessible to citizens and preserve the country’s democratic history. The announcement was made by the Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwawuba, during the 2026 National Assembly Library Week in Abuja.
The initiative, themed “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People,” is designed to strengthen legislative research and improve public access to official parliamentary information. The National Assembly Library is working on electronic repositories and an upgraded E-Library, alongside plans for a mobile application that would provide lawmakers, researchers, legislative aides and members of the public with easier access to legislative records.
Another major component is the proposed Bills Tracker, which will enable users to follow the progress of bills through the legislative process. The library also plans to produce infographics, audiovisual materials and video explainers to simplify complex legislation and parliamentary procedures for the wider public.
The translation of laws into indigenous languages is expected to broaden access to legal information, particularly for Nigerians who may not be proficient in English. The proposed languages include Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo, with other Nigerian languages also expected to be covered.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, also stressed the importance of ensuring that digitised records remain authentic and secure. He identified documents such as the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings and Hansard as important components of Nigeria’s legislative memory and warned against the circulation of altered, outdated or unauthorised parliamentary documents.
He further called for stronger cybersecurity measures, secure authentication, access controls, backup systems and staff training as more parliamentary records move online. According to him, digital platforms must not only make information easier to access but must also enable users to verify that documents are genuine and authoritative.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, represented at the event by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, said legislative records are essential to understanding Nigeria’s parliamentary history and strengthening democratic governance. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, similarly urged lawmakers to make greater use of the library amid growing misinformation, disinformation and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
The planned reforms therefore seek to transform the National Assembly Library from a traditional repository of documents into a modern centre for preserving, authenticating and disseminating legislative knowledge to lawmakers, researchers, journalists, civil society organisations, students and the general public.