Nigeria and South Africa have moved towards deepening inter-parliamentary cooperation and strengthening democratic governance following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the key legislative institutions of the two countries.
The agreement, signed on Friday at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja, aims to promote collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing and improve institutional capacity between Nigeria's legislative aid body and South Africa's Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
This development comes amid growing calls for stronger intra-African partnerships, particularly in harmonizing legislative systems to support continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, South Africa's High Commissioner to Nigeria Bobby Moro described the agreement as an important milestone in bilateral relations.
Moro, who was represented by the Deputy Head of Mission, Madam Lindy Minele, said, “I believe this unprecedented benchmarking will strengthen the existing relationship between the governments of South Africa and Nigeria, and will also include supporting institutions.
“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.”
Members of the South African delegation said that benchmarking remains important for the effective implementation of the AfCFTA, warning that without proper policy alignment and legislative coordination, the agreement may remain more aspirational than practical.
He stressed that ongoing collaborative activities, including current initiatives, are vital to translate continental ambitions into measurable results.
Earlier, NILDS Director General and former Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Suleiman, said the MoU signals a new chapter 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.”
Suleiman also pointed out both similarities and differences in the legislative framework of the two countries. He pointed out that while Nigeria operates a federal, bicameral national assembly with 36 state legislatures, South Africa runs a national parliament complemented by nine provincial legislatures, including Gauteng.
Despite these structural differences, he noted that legislatures in both countries perform the same core functions, including law-making, oversight, representation, and management of public resources.
He conveyed the goodwill of the National Assembly leadership, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajuddin Abbas, and expressed optimism about the fruitful engagements and successful implementation of the MoU.