The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has called for deeper partnerships to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations between Nigeria and the European Parliament.
He made the call while hosting a delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the European Parliament, who paid a courtesy visit to the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Represented by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, the Speaker emphasized the need for concrete actions reflecting a true partnership of equals in addressing shared challenges and building a prosperous future.
Abbas urged the delegation to facilitate legislative exchange programmes, enabling Nigerian and European parliamentarians to hold committee sessions, share best practices in legislative drafting, and collaborate on thematic areas such as climate legislation, digital governance, trade policy, and democratic accountability. He noted that such peer-to-peer learning would strengthen both institutions.
He also proposed the establishment of a Joint Parliamentary Committee dedicated to Nigeria-EU relations, providing a structured platform for regular dialogue on legislative priorities, policy alignment, and mutual accountability on commitments made at executive levels.
Welcoming the delegation, Abbas said:
“It is with honour, respect, and pleasure that I welcome you to the National Assembly on behalf of the Speaker and the entire membership of the 10th House of Representatives. Welcome to the People’s House! Welcome to Abuja, the seat of Nigeria’s democracy and the heart of Africa’s largest legislative institution.”
Reflecting on previous engagements, he added:
“During the EU Parliament–Pan-African Parliament Roundtable in Brussels in June 2025, I emphasized that the solution is not for Africans to migrate to Europe, but for European industry, technology, and capital to migrate to Africa. This principle remains the foundation of Nigeria’s vision for partnership.”
He further suggested upgrading the Nigeria-EU Dialogue Mechanism to include a parliamentary track, complementing ministerial-level engagements with annual parliamentary consultations. He also called for thematic roundtables on issues like the green transition and critical minerals governance, involving parliamentarians, technical staff, civil society, and the private sector to ensure evidence-based and inclusive legislative action.
Earlier, the Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister, said the mission aimed to deepen mutual understanding, explore new areas of collaboration, and reinforce political and economic ties between both sides.
