The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has called for a significant expansion of diplomatic, economic, educational, and parliamentary collaborations between Nigeria and two of its strategic international partners: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Italy.
The Speaker made these assertions during separate official courtesy visits by the Saudi Arabian Ambassador, Faisal bin Ebraheem Al-Ghamdi, and the Italian Ambassador, Claudio Miscia, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on the 13th May, 2026. Speaker Abbas emphasized that Nigeria is ripe for mutually beneficial partnerships that directly impact the lives of ordinary citizens.
While hosting the Saudi Arabian delegation, Speaker Abbas expressed gratitude for Riyadh’s long-standing humanitarian and educational support. However, he advocated for a more structured, parliament-to-parliament framework to drastically expand scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students, particularly in fields like medicine, engineering, and digital technology.
The discussions also touched upon the energy sector, with the Speaker urging Saudi investors to explore Nigeria’s renewing energy landscape and oil and gas value chain, leveraging the legislative reforms enacted by the 10th House of Representatives to protect foreign direct investments.
In his meeting with the Italian Ambassador, Speaker Abbas shifted the focus toward economic cooperation and pressing global security concerns. A central theme of the dialogue was the collaborative fight against transnational crimes, specifically human trafficking and irregular migration.
The Speaker stressed that Nigeria is committed to implementing stronger legislative measures to dismantle trafficking syndicates. He urged the Italian government to support these domestic efforts through technical cooperation, intelligence sharing, and by creating legal pathways for labor migration and professional exchange. Furthermore, Abbas highlighted Italy’s manufacturing prowess, inviting Italian firms to partner with local industries to boost Nigeria’s agricultural mechanization and renewable energy infrastructure.
To ensure these diplomatic goals translate into actionable policies, Speaker Abbas underscored the vital role of Parliamentary Friendship Groups. He revealed that the House has institutionalized these groups to foster “people-centered diplomacy.”
By initiating regular legislative dialogues, joint committee sittings, and peer-review mechanisms, Nigeria aims to align its statutory frameworks with Saudi Arabia and Italy. This collaborative approach will help streamline trade agreements, fast-track visa processing for business travelers, and ensure that bilateral relations yield tangible economic dividends for all nations involved.
