…lists Nigeria’s legislative strides on gender inclusion, others
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, alongside the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, held a high-level meeting with the Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Mr. Martin Chungong, at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Chungong expressed appreciation for Nigeria’s enduring commitment to parliamentary diplomacy and praised the leadership of both presiding officers in advancing legislative engagement on the global stage. He recalled the success of past collaborations, including Nigeria’s pivotal role in the “Not Too Young to Run” campaign.
The meeting centred on strengthening IPU’s partnership with the Nigerian National Assembly in two key areas: climate change and gender equality. The Secretary-General commended Nigeria’s pioneering legislative efforts and urged the National Assembly to lend its full support to pending bills that seek to enhance the political participation of women. He also invited Nigeria to join the IPU’s global “More Youths in Parliament” campaign.
In his response, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen expressed gratitude for the IPU’s consistent support, particularly its recent $25,000 donation towards the capacity-building programme of the House Committee on Climate Change.
He outlined Nigeria’s legislative strides on gender inclusion, including the Reserved Seats Bill, which is backed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The bill proposes three reserved seats per state in the House of Representatives, while a complementary Senate initiative seeks to reserve two seats per geopolitical zone.
The Speaker highlighted Nigeria’s 2021 Climate Change Act—West Africa’s first—and noted the country’s 2025 budgetary allocation of $400 million to climate-related initiatives. He stressed the importance of active private sector participation and affirmed the National Assembly’s oversight role in ensuring accountability.
On inclusion, the Speaker reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to advancing the rights of women, youths, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Speaker Abbas announced the establishment of a Standing Committee on Youths in Parliament as a model for fostering intergenerational dialogue, and expressed concern over the adverse effects of shifting global health priorities, including the recent withdrawal of USAID funding for HIV treatment. He assured that the 2025 budget makes robust provisions to mitigate this impact.
The Secretary-General lauded Nigeria’s leadership and pledged continued IPU support in countering disinformation surrounding inclusion-related legislation.
He confirmed that IPU’s advocacy for climate justice and inclusive governance will remain prominent, particularly in its presentation at the forthcoming COP32.
At the end of the meeting, there were mutual expressions of commitment to deepening parliamentary cooperation across climate action, youth engagement, and inclusive representation.