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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols Agreements has commenced a comprehensive review of all bilateral and multilateral treaties, protocols, agreements, and foreign-assisted contracts entered into by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The move comes amid growing public scrutiny of foreign-funded projects and international agreements, with increasing calls for enhanced oversight and accountability in how Nigeria manages its cross-border commitments.
The exercise, disclosed on Wednesday at a press briefing at the House of Representatives Media Center, is aimed at protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty, promoting compliance with the law, ensuring transparency, and shielding the nation from potentially risky financial obligations arising from poorly negotiated international agreements.
Addressing journalists, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Rabiu Yusuf, lamented the absence of stringent oversight in past treaty arrangements, saying,
“Nigeria cannot be constrained by agreements that threaten her sovereignty, destabilize her economy, or place unfair burdens on future generations. This Committee will ensure transparency, strengthen accountability, and guarantee that every treaty aligns with the nation’s interests.”
According to him, the review will cover critical sectors including infrastructure, finance, power, transportation, ICT, aviation, ports, environment, and security, with particular attention to compliance with Section 12 of the Constitution on treaty domestication, procurement procedures, arbitration clauses, loan terms, collateral risks, and local content obligations.
The lawmaker explained that as part of the exercise, the Committee will issue formal document requests to 53 key stakeholders, including federal ministries, agencies, regulators, state governments, foreign contractors, Chinese companies, development partners, and financial institutions.
He further stated that a nationwide public awareness campaign, including full-page newspaper notices and televised announcements, has been launched to educate Nigerians about the purpose and importance of the review.
According to Hon. Yusuf, Technical and Strategic Consultants have been engaged to provide forensic treaty analyses, legal and financial risk assessments, stakeholder mapping, document evaluations, and digital treaty-tracking support, ensuring technical rigor in the process.
The lawmaker said the Committee intends to conduct interrogative sessions, public hearings, and field verification visits to major national project sites starting early next year. The final report, expected by May 2026, will include legislative recommendations and a comprehensive blueprint for reforming Nigeria’s treaty governance framework.
Hon. Yusuf emphasized, “This is not a political process but a constitutional and patriotic responsibility in the interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We urge all Ministries, Agencies, companies, and partners to cooperate fully with this Committee.”
Members of the public and media have been urged to follow updates on the Committee’s activities through official National Assembly communication channels.u