The Clerk to the National Assembly, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, has written the National Assembly Service Commission, NASC, and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, demanding a special salary scale for Legislative Aides in the National Assembly.
Ogunlana made the demand on Tuesday, August 19, 2026, during the last phase of the Capacity-Building Training for Legislative Aides of the 10th National Assembly.
—“NASS Houses Over 14,000 Staff, Busiest Parliament In The World”—
The CNA said the National Assembly houses over 14,000 personnel comprising career civil servants and legislative aides, excluding the 469 federal lawmakers and daily visitors.
“No parliament in the world is as busy as the National Assembly which has over 14,000 personnel aside the federal legislators and their visitors, making the job of its Clerk to be the most demanding in terms of administrative coordination,” he said.
He added that within the last three years of the 10th Assembly, both chambers have passed a total of 3,500 bills — 1,500 by the Senate and 2,000 by the House of Representatives.
—Streamline Roles On Pay And Conditions Of Service—
Ogunlana said his renewed demand was necessary because his earlier call for a special salary scale last year had not been addressed.
“There is need to streamline the responsibility of the NASC and RMAFC in determining the salaries and condition of service of legislative aides,” he stated.
He explained that while NASC is the institutional authority responsible for the appointment and administration of legislative aides, their remuneration operates within a framework developed or approved with RMAFC and remains subject to approval by the National Assembly.
The Clerk also raised a fundamental question on the status of the appointment.
“It is settled that the appointment of legislative aides is temporary and non-pensionable, but is it a fulltime or part-time appointment?”
—Goal Is Professional Legislative Support Service—
Ogunlana stressed that the proposed reforms are not just about welfare, but about building capacity.
“These reforms are aimed not only at improving the welfare of legislative aides, but also to strengthen their capacity to provide support to their principals,” he said.
“Whatever reform we undertake, the goal should remain the development of a professional legislative support service that attracts and retains the best and brightest minds, as well as individuals of exemplary character and moral probity,” the CNA added.
The training programme, the 9th and final batch for the 10th Assembly, is part of ongoing efforts by NASS Management to professionalise legislative support and improve the quality of service provided to lawmakers.
