Speaker Abbas meeting with IPU’s Sec-Gen in Geneva

By Gloria Ikibah

The Speaker House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen and President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio recently engaged in discussions with the Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Martin Chungong, during an event held at the United Nations in Geneva.

The dialogue occurred alongside the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments. During the meeting, appreciation was expressed for Nigeria’s ongoing involvement in international legislative cooperation. Prior initiatives, such as youth inclusion in governance, were noted as key examples of past collaborative successes.

The conversation focused on enhancing cooperation between the IPU and Nigeria’s National Assembly in areas such as environmental policy and inclusive representation. Nigerian lawmakers were encouraged to support initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in politics and to align with global campaigns promoting youth engagement in legislative processes.

In 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.