As the year 2025 winds down, it is another season of reflections and retrospection. Looking back, it is safe to say the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, had a great legislative year. He spent a significant part of the outgoing year combining his legislative leadership with the job of Nigeria’s salesman. He used every international opportunity to sell Nigeria, the world’s most populous Black nation. This, he did, to complement the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who is Nigeria’s marketer-in-chief and whose administration is aggressive on Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).

What Speaker Abbas is doing is called parliamentary diplomacy: parliament-to-parliament negotiations and interventions on key issues affecting two or more countries, or agreements that are mutually beneficial to the countries involved. As President Tinubu and the Executive arm of the Nigerian Government engage other presidents and countries, the Nigerian Parliament—the house of reps—backs it up with lobbying at the legislative level.

Speaker Abbas attended some key international conferences, using the fora to tell the world what Nigeria is doing right, with resolutions that have significant benefits for the country. He used the opportunities to market Nigeria to the world. That is taking legislative diplomacy to a higher level.

The latest of such international engagements was the 3rd General Assembly of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL), Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, between December 12 and 14, 2025. It was themed ‘Legislative Leadership and Parliamentary Diplomacy in a Changing Global Order.’

Addressing the audience of parliamentarians drawn from across Africa on recent global geopolitics and economic dynamics, Speaker Abbas said, “Nigeria’s approach reflects this conviction. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our government has pursued reforms intended to stabilise the economy, attract investments, and strengthen national security. These reforms require legislative backing and sustained cooperation with partners.”

Speaking of Africa in the global midst, he added, “Nigeria continues to work with ECOWAS, the African Union, and neighbouring countries to tackle security threats. We also support the strengthening of continental institutions so that Africa can negotiate from a position of clarity and unity.”

Within the house of representatives, the speaker noted that the Nigerian Parliament has taken deliberate steps to deepen legislative leadership and expand parliamentary diplomacy. He said Nigeria has also expanded its network of parliamentary friendship groups to promote engagement with strategic partners. These groups, he noted, have enabled sustained dialogue with parliaments in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Earlier in November 2025, Speaker Abbas was in China to participate in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) 2025, on the invitation of the Chinese Government. As part of his interventions during a meeting with the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Li Qiang, the speaker called on the Chinese Government “to support Nigeria’s bid under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in the spirit of solidarity and shared prosperity.”

He said, “Considering Nigeria’s relevance in African and global affairs, this bid, if successful, will not only benefit Nigeria and China but also the entire world.” He also noted, “At home, the Nigerian legislature is pursuing reforms that align with this vision. We are strengthening public finance laws, revising trade and tax codes, and promoting innovation-friendly regulation. These efforts make Nigeria a more predictable partner and a safer destination for investment.”

While highlighting the critical role parliamentary diplomacy plays in fostering enduring relations, Speaker Abbas proposed the establishment of a Nigeria-China Legislative Cooperation Framework to “institutionalise regular dialogue between the National People’s Congress and the National Assembly of Nigeria on issues of governance, transparency, and innovation.”

The speaker also highlighted three frontiers where a partnership between Nigeria and China could be instituted in an attempt to define the future. First is in the area of technological sovereignty. Second is green industrialisation. Third is human capital exchange.

At the opening ceremony of the Expo held at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre, Shanghai, China, the speaker told the gathering that the Nigerian Government under President Tinubu is implementing bold reforms that are stabilising the economy, enhancing investor confidence, and improving the ease of doing business. He also stated that the Nigerian National Assembly is working assiduously to back the reforms through strong legislation.

In October, Speaker Abbas signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the People’s National Assembly of Algeria, which seeks to establish strong parliamentary exchanges, strengthen democracy, rule of law, and other legislative interventions mutually beneficial to Nigeria and Algeria. He signed the MoU with the President of the Algerian Parliament, Boughali Ibrahim, upon his arrival in Algiers for a working visit on October 20. It was signed “based on the historical bonds of friendship between the Algerian and Nigerian peoples, as well as their shared values and principles.”

On Day 2 of his official visit to Algeria, Speaker Abbas met with the Algerian minister of foreign affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, His Excellency Mr Ahmed Attaf, during which he called for a review of the visa policy between Nigeria and Algeria towards a better bilateral relationship between the two African countries. He specifically recommended that both Nigerian and Algerian Parliaments work towards a bilateral visa facilitation framework, including visa-free access for diplomatic and official passport holders and streamlined visa processes for ordinary citizens, business leaders, students, researchers, and cultural exchanges.

The speaker also reaffirmed Nigeria’s legislative support and commitment to the successful completion of the massive Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project, while assuring the Algerian minister of Nigeria’s willingness to mobilise support for the project from other West African parliaments whose countries are involved in the project.

Noting that both Nigeria and Algeria are members of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the speaker highlighted how parliamentary cooperation can support the removal of legislative barriers to trade, such as customs duties and visa challenges for businesspeople. He also stressed the need to combat regional security challenges in the Sahel caused by terrorism, climate change, and political instability, while emphasising the need for parliamentary strategy and legislative support towards military and regional cooperation.

Before the Algerian trip, Speaker Abbas was at the First General Meeting of the Asian–African Parliamentary Council held between September 8 and 9, 2025, in Beirut, Republic of Lebanon. There, he called for trade and investment frameworks between Africa and Asia, especially for green energy and digital economies. He also stated that the proposed Asian-African Parliamentary Council, which he approved, will enable African and Asian parliaments to address shared challenges and amplify the voices of Asia and Africa in global affairs.

Addressing African-Asian lawmakers at the Lebanese parliament, the speaker marketed Nigeria and the Tinubu-led administration. “We aim to foster parliamentary cooperation to address shared challenges and enhance our collective resilience. We are interested in discussions on justice and sustainable development, which align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The agenda supports initiatives such as environmental sustainability policies, climate resilience projects, and poverty alleviation efforts. We also highlight the importance of international blocs, building on our recent acceptance as a BRICS partner country in January 2025, to foster south-south cooperation and economic opportunities with Asian nations.”

Speaker Abbas stressed that Nigeria has championed decolonisation and partnerships through forums such as the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). He said, “Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has further strengthened its efforts. In 2024, we entered into a strategic partnership with China focused on agriculture and infrastructure. Additionally, Nigeria signed MoUs with India in 2023 to enhance trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Nigeria aims to expand these initiatives through this Council and seeks to improve legislative oversight.”

Another case in point was when Speaker Abbas contributed to the debate on ‘The Role of Parliaments in Shaping Our Digital Future’ at the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament organised by the International Parliamentary Union (IPU)/United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. He proposed a Global Parliamentary Forum on Artificial Intelligence.

The speaker said, “Nigeria is dedicated to promoting digital rights, safety, and inclusion through proactive legislation. We have implemented key laws, such as the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the amended Cybercrime Bill, which strengthen confidence in our digital infrastructure and update our legal framework to meet modern challenges. Our digital transformation is not solely about technology; it prioritises empowering people, expanding access, and protecting rights. Through efforts like the National Assembly Open Week, we have connected with citizens, especially youth, via digital platforms to encourage participation.”

Having worked around the clock in 2025 to market Nigeria to the world through parliamentary diplomacy, Speaker Abbas is poised to do even more in this new year 2026.