In recent years, the Nigerian National Assembly has increasingly exercised its investigative powers, with privately owned companies sometimes finding themselves summoned in connection with matters of public interest. These legislative inquiries can be disruptive and raise complex legal questions for businesses, particularly around the scope of disclosure obligations and the limits of the legislature’s authority.
In this article, we examine the constitutional and statutory basis of the National Assembly’s investigative powers, analyse how and when those powers may extend to corporate entities, and highlight the key procedural and substantive limitations that constrain those powers. The article also provides practical guidance for companies navigating invitations or summons arising from legislative investigations.
