STANDOUT: 10 Bills of promise in 5 months of 10th NASS

Continuing our review of the first six months into the four-year tenure of the tenth Assembly, OrderPaper dives into the 1331 bills that have been sponsored thus far, selecting the top 1o bills with the potential to have an impact on citizens and add value to the nation.

NASS raise budget by N1.2trn

Lawmaking is one of the most common duties attributed to a legislator. While some would shy away from this duty, stating that the lack of bill sponsorship does not speak to their legislative performance, well-rounded legislators should be able to balance lawmaking, oversight and representation duties. Another critical aspect to note in lawmaking is the issue of raking in a high volume of bills. Indeed, quality over quantity is a no-brainer. What is most important in sponsoring the bill is the value, impact, and progression of the bill. What we refer to at OrderPaper as the VVIP matrix of bills sponsorship.

10th Assembly Bills So Far

An x-ray of the first five months of the 10th Assembly went by with a mixed bag of bills. Between June and November 2023, a total of 1331 bills were sponsored by the 10th Assembly. Of these numbers, 1,037 bills were sponsored in the House of Representatives, and 294 bills were before the Senate.

A breakdown by sector indicated that 54 per cent of these bills were establishment, 33% were repeal and amendment, 9% were enactment, and 4% were money bills. Notable among these is the 2024 Appropriation Bill sponsored by the Executive and since signed into law as the 2024 budget.

June-November, 2023 10th Assembly Bills by Sector

Out of 1331 bills, we selected the top 10, five from each Chamber. These bills stood out due to their potential impact on citizens and their value to the nation.

Top 5 House of Representatives Bills

HB.60 National Agency for Artisanal Petroleum Refining (Establishment) Bill, 2023, is sponsored by Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP), Obio/Akpor, federal constituency, Rivers State. The bill aims to give legal backing to artisanal petroleum refining in the country in order to encourage the growth of local industries, services, and technologies in the oil and gas sector. This will be done by formalising cooperative societies and merging their operations to gain the benefits of economies of scale. The bill is currently awaiting a second reading.
HB. 66 A Bill For an Act to Establish Public Accounts Tribunal (Establishment) Bill, 2023, is sponsored by Rep. Oluwaole Oke (PDP), Obokun/Oriade federal constituency, Osun State. The bill seeks the recovery of public funds or properties found by the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly to have been misappropriated or due to the Government of the Federation. The bill has been passed for a second reading.
HB. 16 Central Bank of Nigeria Act, Cap C4, Lawa of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (amendment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Rep. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, (APC) Ugheli North/Ugheli South federal constituency, Delta State. The bill, which has been referred to the House Committee on Banking Regulations, seeks to amend the CBN Act to regulate appointment, curtail abuse of office, and strengthen fiscal accountability. This bill also made it to our STAR Bill of the Week (7-9 November 2023).
HB. Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Rep. Babajimi Benson Adegoke (APC), Ikorodu federal constituency, Lagos State, seeks to address the concerns of host Communities. The bill, which both chambers of the National Assembly have passed, also seeks to discontinue the release of host communities’ 5% fund to Hydro Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC).
HB. 8 Bio-Fuels Energy Regulatory Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023. The bill, which has been referred to the Committee on Science Research Institutions, is sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and two others. The bill, besides the establishment of the Commission, aims to provide the necessary framework for growth and marks crucial steps in Nigeria’s efforts to combat climate change and diversify its domestic economy.

Top 5 Bills Senate

SB. 260 National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund, (Establishment) Bill, 2023. The bill sponsored by Sen. Yemi Adaramodu Raphael (APC, Ekiti South) is currently awaiting a second reading. This Bill aims to provide a sustainable source of funds for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), skill acquisition, training and empowerment of Corps members, training and retraining of the personnel of the NYSC, and development of camps and NYSC formations and facilities.
SB. 34 Central Bank (Establishment) Act 2007, (Amendment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West). The bill is currently awaiting a second reading. It intends to amend the Central Bank (Establishment) Act 2007 to enable transparency and accountability in the Central Bank’s operations and to ensure enhancement of its functions.
SB. 205 Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Repeal & Enactment) Bill, 2023. This Bill seeks to checkmate the circulation of fake drugs and unwholesome processed food in Nigeria. The bill, which is awaiting a second reading, is sponsored by Sen. Sadiq Suleiman (APC, Kwara North).
SB. 07 Bitumen Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim Folorunsho (APC, Ondo South). This Bill seeks to ensure the effective utilisation of N38 billion reserves of bitumen in Nigeria. It also seeks to make the country a key player in the $147 billion global market and create 12,000 instant jobs. The bill, which was our STAR Bill of the Week (21-24 November 2023), has been referred to the Committee on Solid Minerals.
SB. 62 Solid Mineral Producing Area Development Commission, (Establishment) Bill, 2023. This Bill aims to cover Nigeria’s effective management, development, and environmental devastation of solid minerals in 2023. Currently at its second stage, the bill is sponsored by Sen. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (PDP, Nasarawa South).