The Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library, Rt. Hon. Henry Nwawuba, led a delegation of the management of the National Assembly Library, to a strategic study tour of United Arab Emirates’ knowledge institutions.
The delegation was also comprised of other critical legislative stakeholders, including the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Library, Research and Documentation; the Permanent Secretary of Finance and Accounts; the Director of Accounts; and other senior officials of the National Assembly.
The study visit focused on evaluating how world-class automation, robotics, and global knowledge networks can be integrated into the Nigerian legislative system.
Insights from World-Class Innovation Hubs
The delegation conducted intensive technical assessments at several of the world’s most advanced technological and educational institutions. These engagements provided critical frameworks for how modern libraries leverage automated systems to optimize public service, archive legislative memory, and speed up research retrieval for lawmakers.
The benchmarking tour included visits to:
- The Mohammed bin Rashid Library (Dubai): Observing high-level applications of robotics, artificial intelligence, and automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) that are redefining modern library workflows.
- The House of Wisdom (Sharjah): Examining the design philosophy of this UNESCO-celebrated World Book Capital, which masterfully blends traditional research spaces with digital innovation.
- The Museum of the Future & Dubai Knowledge Park: Analyzing upcoming technological trends and institutional models designed to drive knowledge-driven development.
- Murdoch University: Exploring sustainable academic partnerships and information management networks.
High-Level Inter-Parliamentary Diplomacy
A major milestone of the mission was an official diplomatic reception hosted by His Excellency Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Consultative Council and former UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, as well as former Minister of Infrastructure Development.
The high-level bilateral conversation focused on building strong, continuous international partnerships and cross-border knowledge exchanges. Under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Henry Nwawuba, the insights gathered from this mission are being directly synthesized into a comprehensive institutional reform strategy. This strategy will establish the National Assembly Library as a world-class center for digital knowledge, policy research, and democratic learning in Africa.
More photos from the tour below.
