The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has called for a deepened strategic partnership between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need to transform longstanding diplomatic goodwill into practical, measurable economic and social gains.
Speaking at a dinner in Abuja on Thursday, September 24, 2026, commemorating the 96th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Speaker Abbas underscored the deep historical, cultural, and spiritual ties shared by both nations.
Speaker Abbas stated that “Good diplomacy opens doors, but purposeful parliamentary engagement builds bridges that can carry nations towards shared prosperity. Nigeria and Saudi Arabia share more than diplomatic ties; we share faith, history, commerce, culture, and enduring bonds between our peoples.”
To strengthen bilateral cooperation from goodwill to lasting development, Speaker Abbas presented several strategic proposals during the event. He proposed the establishment of a formal annual dialogue between the Nigerian National Assembly and the Saudi Shura Council, backed by reciprocal committee visits and a targeted joint work plan focusing on investment, education, and aviation.
Furthermore, he called on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to review its visa policies to extend reciprocal consideration and smoother access to eligible Nigerian investors, academics, business travelers, and diplomatic passport holders.
The Speaker welcomed the proposed direct Jeddah-Abuja flight service slated for December 1, 2026, while advocating for the expansion of routes to Lagos, competitive fare structures, and strengthened cargo linkages.
On educational grounds, he urged increased scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students, particularly in critical fields such as medicine, engineering, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, agriculture, and mining, alongside stronger institutional partnerships between Nigerian and Saudi universities.
He commended the efficiency of the 2026 Hajj operations and stressed the need to deepen institutional coordination across aviation, immigration, healthcare, accommodation, and pilgrim welfare through a permanent joint operations platform.
The Speaker concluded by congratulating the Government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on their 96th National Anniversary, reaffirming that the core objective of both nations remains clear: turning air links into trade, academic scholarships into shared knowledge, and diplomatic ties into tangible prosperity for both populations.
