Nigeria, South Africa Sign MoU To Deepen Legislative Cooperation

Nigeria and South Africa have moved to deepen inter-parliamentary collaboration and strengthen democratic governance following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between key legislative institutions in both countries.

The agreement, sealed on Friday at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja, is aimed at boosting cooperation, facilitating knowledge sharing and improving institutional capacity between Nigeria’s legislative support body and South Africa’s Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

The development comes amid increasing calls for stronger intra-African partnerships, particularly in harmonising 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 Moroe, described the agreement as a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

Moroe, who was represented by Deputy Head of Mission, Madam Lindi Mminele, 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.”

Members of the South African delegation noted that benchmarking remains critical to the effective implementation of the AfCFTA, warning that without proper policy alignment and legislative coordination, the agreement could remain more aspirational than practical.

They stressed that ongoing collaborative engagements, including the current initiative, are key to translating continental ambitions into measurable outcomes.

Earlier, director-general of NILDS and former Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Suleiman, said the MoU signals a new chapter in legislative cooperation between both nations.

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.”

Suleiman also pointed to both similarities and differences in the legislative frameworks of the two countries. He explained that while Nigeria operates a federal, bicameral National Assembly alongside 36 state assemblies, 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 similar core functions, including lawmaking, oversight, representation and the management of public resources.

He further conveyed the goodwill of the National Assembly leadership, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, expressing optimism about fruitful engagements and the successful implementation of the MoU.