The House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements is to scrutinise all agreements, treaties and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) entered into and signed between Nigeria and other parties. Chairman of the Committee, Hon Rabiu Yusuf, disclosed this while briefing the media yesterday in Abuja.
He said that over the years, Nigeria has signed numerous treaties, MoUs, and agreements without adequate oversight, domestication, or monitoring.
The lawmaker lamented that some of the agreements allegedly contained hidden obligations, sovereignty waivers, unfavourable arbitration clauses, or financial risks unknown to Nigerians.
He said: “Several foreignfunded infrastructure contracts, especially those involving foreign companies, require deeper scrutiny for: Value-for-money; Loan exposure; Local content compliance; Contract performance and Environmental and Labour compliance.
“Nigeria cannot afford treaties that weaken our legal authority, compromise national assets, or burden future generations with unsustainable liabilities.” He further informed that, the aim was to ensure among other things that, all international agreements comply with Section 12 of the Constitution.
He then added that, it is also to ensure that, Nigeria’s sovereignty is never compromised in foreign dealings; protect the country from harmful financial exposure, poor contract terms, and non-performing obligations; establish full transparency around treaties and major contracts; strengthen Nigeria’s negotiation power and recommend a national framework for treaty oversight and digital tracking to prevent future lapses.
According to him, treaties affect everyday life—job creation, trade, taxes, infrastructure, and foreign investment, saying that poorly negotiated agreements can weaken our economy, increase debt, or even threaten strategic national assets. He noted that the committee’s work will help ensure Nigerians benefit from partnerships, not become victims of them emphasising that, the main goal is to ensure that Nigeria never signs what it cannot defend.
The lawmaker asserted that the committee was authorised to undertake one of the most important national reviews in recent history. He said: “Our mandate is clear: to examine all bilateral and multilateral treaties, protocols, agreements and foreign-funded contracts Nigeria has entered into— and determine whether they protect or endanger the national interest. “This review is not political. It is patriotic, constitutional and essential for Nigeria’s sovereignty, debt sustainability and economic security
