NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO DIGITISE RECORDS TRANSLATE LAWS INTO LOCAL LANGUAGES

The National Assembly is taking steps to digitise parliamentary records and translate Nigerian laws into local languages in a move aimed at preserving the country’s legislative history and making legal and parliamentary information more accessible to citizens.

The Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Henry Nwawuba, disclosed this during the opening of the 2026 National Assembly Library Week.

Nwawuba said the initiative would ensure that important parliamentary documents and records are preserved in digital formats, reducing the risk of losing valuable information and making such materials easier for researchers, lawmakers and members of the public to access.

He also explained that translating laws into local languages would help bridge the communication gap between the legislature and citizens, particularly those who may not have sufficient understanding of English, which is the primary language used in Nigeria’s legislative and legal documents.

Other speakers at the event stressed that the digitisation of Nigeria’s laws would promote greater transparency and civic participation, as citizens would be able to access legislative documents and follow the progress of bills from their introduction to consideration and eventual passage.

The initiative is therefore expected to strengthen public understanding of the legislative process while preserving Nigeria’s democratic records for future generations.