ABUJA — The National Assembly has initiated a legislative framework to officially translate key national laws, acts, and constitutional provisions into Nigeria’s three major indigenous languages—Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.
The legislative directive aims to deepen civic education, enhance legal literacy, and ensure that everyday citizens across rural and urban communities fully understand their fundamental rights, duties, and the country’s statutory framework without language barriers.
Under the legislative plan, priority will be given to the translation of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), key criminal and civil statutes, electoral guidelines, consumer protection laws, and business regulations into local dialects.
Parliamentary leadership emphasized that translating official legal texts into indigenous languages will bridge the gap between governance and the grassroots, foster greater legal compliance, and make access to justice more inclusive for non-English speaking citizens.
The legislative administrative management and relevant committees on inter-parliamentary affairs are expected to collaborate with language experts, academic institutions, and national translation agencies to oversee the standardization and publication of the official translated texts.
