Nigeria and South Africa have taken a step to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and democratic governance with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between key legislative institutions of both countries.
The agreement, signed on Friday at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja, is expected to deepen collaboration, promote knowledge exchange and enhance institutional capacity between Nigeria’s legislative support body and South Africa’s Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
The initiative comes amid growing calls for stronger intra-African cooperation, particularly in aligning legislative frameworks to support continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking at the ceremony, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, described the agreement as a milestone in bilateral relations.
Moroe was represented by the Deputy Head of Mission, Madam Lindi Mminele.
He said, “I believe this groundbreaking benchmarking will strengthen existing relations between the governments of South Africa and Nigeria, and also include the supporting institutions.
“Gauteng is our economic hub. For it to continue prospering and thriving in the current volatile and fluid economic environment, I believe that strong, decisive leadership should be at the helm of progressive and developmental processes.
“Honourable members, your visit here in Nigeria re-emphasises the importance of our bilateral relations with Nigeria. It concretises and brings tangibility to the aspirations of our binational commission, which we have with Nigeria, which is led at the highest level by the two heads of state, His Excellency President Ramaphosa, as well as His Excellency Bola Tinubu here in Nigeria.”
The South African delegation emphasised that benchmarking is essential for the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, noting that without proper alignment and synchronisation of policies and legislative frameworks, the agreement risks remaining only an aspiration rather than a practical reality.
Moroe stressed that ongoing collaborative efforts, such as the current engagement, are helping to translate continental goals into concrete actions.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General of NILDS and former Minister of National Planning, Prof Abubakar Suleiman, said the agreement marked a new phase in legislative cooperation between both countries.
He said, “Your presence here today for this benchmarking visit and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding marks yet another important milestone in the growing partnership between our institutions and, indeed, between our two great nations.
“Nigeria and South Africa share a unique historical and diplomatic relationship rooted in a common commitment to democratic governance, constitutionalism, and the advancement of the African continent.
“Both countries occupy significant leadership positions within Africa’s political and economic landscape, and our democratic institutions continue to evolve in response to the complex governance challenges of our time.”
The former minister highlighted both the similarities and structural differences between the legislative systems of both countries, noting that while Nigeria operates a federal, bicameral National Assembly alongside 36 state assemblies, South Africa runs a national parliament in tandem with nine provincial legislatures, including Gauteng.
Suleiman emphasised that despite the differences, legislatures in both countries share core responsibilities such as lawmaking, oversight, representation and management of public resources.
He also conveyed the goodwill of the National Assembly leadership, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, expressing optimism about productive engagements and successful implementation of the MoU.
By: Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis
