The Nigerian Senate has issued a one-month deadline to the contractor responsible for renovating its chambers.
The lawmakers imposed a one-month deadline for contractors to fix the building’s audio communication system or face consequences.
Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, announced the deadline during plenary on Tuesday.
He was visibly enraged after his microphone failed during proceedings and instructed Senate Services Chairman Sen. Karimi Sunday to immediately liaise with the contractor and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA) to ensure that the job was completed to the standards appropriate to Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s largest parliaments.
“We give between now and one month to have a system suitable for this chamber installed or we make further decisions,” according to him.
The improvements include the installation of equipment for real-time interpretation of proceedings in different languages, which is consistent with methods used by other legislative organizations across the world.
He stressed that failing to reach the deadline will force the Senate to take serious action.
Akpabio revealed that the budget defense report for the ₦54.2 trillion 2025 budget will be submitted to the Senate during plenary this week.
Akpabio stated that the Committee on Appropriations will give the report on Wednesday or Thursday, highlighting the importance of ending the debate on the 2025 budget.
“You will observe that some of our colleagues are not in the chamber because of the required final touches on the 2025 Appropriation Bill report, which will be laid before us tomorrow, Wednesday, or Thursday this week,” Akpabio said during Tuesday’s plenary session.
“We need to close early to allow for collective efforts in that direction for final consideration and passage of the 2025 Appropriation Bill,” according to him.
Earlier this session, the Senate approved five legislation for first reading. This includes:
– The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended) Amendment Bill 2025
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– The Armed Forces Act Amendment Bill 2025.
– The Federal Medical Centers Act Amendment Bill 2025, among others.
In addition, the Senate approved a bill amending the Federal University of Agriculture Act to establish the Federal University of Agriculture in Abak, Akwa Ibom State.
Following the second reading, the bill was forwarded to the Committee on Agriculture for additional legislative review. The committee is anticipated to provide a report within three weeks.
