…363 bills passed as lawmakers defend productivity
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has defended the performance of the 10th National Assembly, revealing that lawmakers introduced 2,747 bills and passed 363 within the first three years of its tenure, describing the figures as proof of an active legislature focused on delivering reforms that directly affect Nigerians. 
Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business, Rep. Francis Waive, disclosed the figures on Monday during a media briefing in Abuja to mark the close of the third legislative session.
According to Rep. Waive, the bills introduced since June 2023 comprise 57 executive bills, 95 Senate concurrence bills and 2,595 private member bills.
He said the House passed 89 bills during its first legislative session, 148 in the second and 126 in the just-concluded third session, bringing the total to 363.
Breaking down activities for the third session, the Chairman said lawmakers introduced 484 bills, made up of 31 executive bills, 391 private member bills and 62 Senate concurrence bills.
He added that the House also considered 220 motions, referring 192 to standing committees and 28 to adhoc committees, while 121 were admitted as matters of urgent public importance. Lawmakers also deliberated on 48 public petitions.
Among the major legislative milestones recorded during the session, Waive listed the passage of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, the Electoral Act 2026, constitutional amendment proposals to pave the way for state police, tax reform legislation and the Minimum Wage Act.
He said the measures were aimed at strengthening governance and improving the welfare of Nigerians.
“We are sharing this data with Nigerians because the House of Representatives is working. This is the scorecard for the session”, he stated.
Also speaking, the Spokesperson of the House, Rep. Akin Rotimi said the impact of several laws passed by the House was already being felt across the country.
He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one example, noting that the scheme, which was established through legislation initiated by the House, had already supported more than 1.6 million Nigerians, with over N303 billion disbursed in student loans.
Rotimi explained that the number of bills eventually passed should not be compared directly with the number introduced because many separate proposals are often harmonised into a single piece of legislation during the legislative process.
He also revealed that more than 300 constitutional amendment bills were currently undergoing consideration.
Looking ahead, the House Spokesperson said lawmakers were already reviewing priorities for the fourth legislative session.
“We’ve covered a lot of ground, but there is still a lot more to do. We are reviewing our legislative agenda internally to ensure that key promises made to Nigerians are delivered before the end of this Assembly”, he added.
Responding to questions from journalists, Waive said the Committee on Rules and Business does not keep records of bills that have received presidential assent, explaining that such information is maintained by the Clerk to the National Assembly and the Presidency.
He also addressed concerns over concurrence bills awaiting action in the Senate, saying the House fulfils its responsibility once passed bills are transmitted through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
On the growing number of establishment bills creating new federal institutions, Waive defended the trend, arguing that many had translated into tangible projects, including several Federal Medical Centres now serving communities across the country.
The lawmakers also dismissed allegations that members paid money to have bills listed for consideration. Waive said comments previously attributed to one lawmaker had been misconstrued.
According to him, the member was referring to the political effort, consultations and lobbying required to build support for legislation rather than the payment of bribes.
Rotimi, who disclosed that he had personally sponsored more than 40 bills, also rejected the allegation.
He maintained that every bill passes through established constitutional and parliamentary procedures before it can be scheduled for first reading.
On the proposed establishment of State Police, Waive clarified that the constitutional amendment approved by the House merely provides the legal foundation for the initiative.
He explained that the operational structure and relationship between federal and state police formations would be addressed through separate amendments to the Police Act.
Rotimi added that the House intends to vote on about 40 constitutional amendment bills during the fourth legislative session, including proposals for reserved seats for women and other governance reforms, which he described as critical to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
