Nigeria and South Africa have taken a step towards strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation and democratic governance with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the principal legislative institutions of the two countries.
The agreement signed on Friday at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja is expected to deepen cooperation, promote knowledge exchange and enhance institutional capacity between Nigeria's legislative aid 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, Professor Bobby Moro, described the agreement as a milestone in bilateral relations.
The Moro were represented by Madam Lindy Maminele, Deputy Head of Mission.
“I believe this unprecedented benchmarking will strengthen the existing relationship between the governments of South Africa and Nigeria and will also include supporting institutions,” he said.
“Gauteng is our economic hub. To keep it prosperous and thriving in the current volatile and fluid economic environment, I believe strong, decisive leadership must be at the helm of progressive and developmental processes.
“Honorable Members, your visit to Nigeria re-emphasizes the importance of our bilateral relations with Nigeria. It gives concrete and concrete form to the aspirations of the Binational Commission that we have with Nigeria, 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 stressed that benchmarking is essential for the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, noting that without proper alignment and synchronization of policies and legislative frameworks, the Agreement risks remaining merely an aspiration rather than a practical reality.
Moro stressed that ongoing collaborative efforts, such as the current engagement, are helping to translate continental goals into concrete actions.
Earlier in his remarks, NILDS Director General and former Minister of National Planning, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, said the agreement marked a new phase in legislative cooperation between the two countries.
He said, “Your presence here today for this benchmarking visit and the signing of the MoU is another important milestone in the growing partnership between our institutions and indeed our two great countries.
“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 hold important leadership positions in Africa's political and economic landscape, and our democratic institutions are evolving in response to the complex governance challenges of our time.”
The former minister highlighted both similarities and structural differences between the legislative systems of the two countries, noting that while Nigeria operates a federal, bicameral national assembly with 36 state legislatures, South Africa operates a national parliament coupled with nine provincial legislatures, including Gauteng.
Suleiman stressed that despite differences, the legislatures of both countries share core responsibilities such as law making, oversight, representation and management of public resources.
He also expressed the goodwill of the National Assembly leadership, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajuddin Abbas, while expressing optimism about the productive activities and successful implementation of the MoU.