12 out of 15 senators from the South-east zone sponsored 61 bills demonstrating the least legislative activity in the first year The 61 bills sponsored by south-east senators accounted for 13 per cent of the 475 bills processed in the senate from June 2023 to May 2024. 54 of these bills are awaiting second reading, reflecting limited movement within the legislative process. So far, only 1 bill has successfully passed the second reading, 5 are in...
63 of the 64 bills sponsored by 15 senators from the south-south geopolitical zone of the country are stuck at first reading 63 of the 64 bills sponsored by 15 of the 18 senators from the geo-political region are awaiting a second reading, the implication being that only 1 (one) has made progressed in the senate floor. This substantial backlog indicates either significant institutional delays in the legislative progress or a disturbing indolence on the...
The first year of the 10th Senate has been marked by a sluggish pace in bill proposals, with only 14 focusing on natural resource governance Despite Nigeria’s rich natural resource base, a perceived slow legislative activity to harness the sector raises concerns, particularly given Nigeria’s urgent economic challenges. As Africa’s most populous nation and one of the most resource-rich countries globally, Nigeria continues to face a significant debt burden. Despite possessing vast natural resources, such...
53 finance-related bills were introduced in the first year of the 10th Senate, fueling concerns regarding the legislative body’s effectiveness in addressing the country’s pressing economic challenges. Amid severe inflation, escalating public debt, and declining investor confidence, the introduction of these 53 bills send a mixed message, especially with many stalled at first reading. The current economic turmoil in the country necessitates urgent and decisive action from the legislative arm to stabilize the economy, restore...
In a notable push towards revitalizing the agricultural sector, the 10th Senate of Nigeria proposed 35 agriculture-related bills during its first year. The 35 bills on agriculture proposed in the senate represent 7.3 percent of the 475 total recorded between June 2023 and May 2024. While this notable figure indicates an intention to enhance agriculture, it also underscores a significant concern: 35 bills amay be insufficient given Nigeria’s vast potential for agricultural development. The country...
In its 10th assembly, the Nigerian Senate made strides toward addressing gender inequality by proposing 15 gender-related bills during its first year. Despite sponsoring 15 bills on gender issues, significant gender disparities persist within the senate as a legislative body itself, where only four out of the 109 senators are women. This representation imbalance highlights the challenges of achieving genuine gender equality—not only through policy reforms but also in terms of participation and leadership within...
In its inaugural year, the 10th Senate of Nigeria took a significant step towards revitalizing the private sector by proposing 29 bills. These legislative measures on the private sector by the 10th Senate target essential areas, including labour welfare, commerce, transportation, professional capacity development, and media. This approach reflects an understanding of the urgent need to bolster the private sector, particularly in the face of rising inflation, escalating unemployment, and ongoing economic uncertainty that has...
The inaugural year of the 10th Senate saw 10 bills introduced to address climate change amid the environmental crisis plaguing the country In the face of an unprecedented climate crisis characterized by rising temperatures, desertification, drought, flooding, and coastal erosion, only 10 climate-related bills were introduced in the first year of the 10th Senate. Such a limited legislative response is deeply concerning, particularly as Nigeria grapples with escalated climate impacts that displace communities, jeopardize agriculture,...
In the first year of the 10th Senate, 93 education-related bills were introduced, the highest sectorial legislative drafts which is however largely tilted towards creating institutions. Most of the 93 education-related bills introduced in the first year of the 10th senate were establishment proposals focused on setting up new institutions, colleges, and universities. While the some focused on free universal basic education, and tertiary education trust funds – these bills fail to address the systemic...
Corruption remains a fundamental obstacle to Nigeria’s economic growth and governance yet only 13 bills were introduced in the 10th Senate to address it. Despite ongoing challenges to combat corruption as a pervasive issue, the legislative output from the 10th Senate during its inaugural year raises concerns. With Nigeria ranked 145th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), the introduction of only 13 anti-corruption bills is a concerning assessment of how...
