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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts is set to host the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC). The event will take place at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, from September 8 to 12, 2025.
This was revealed in a statement released by the WAAPAC Secretariat in Accra, Ghana.
Formed in 2009 after a World Bank Institute seminar in collaboration with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the Parliamentary Centre (PC), WAAPAC serves as a regional platform for parliaments to promote accountability. The founding members included legislatures from Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, and The Gambia.
Themed “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Debt: The Role of Finance and Public Accounts Committees,” the 2025 conference is expected to draw more than 300 participants. Attendees will include lawmakers, auditors-general, fiscal policy specialists, and development partners from within and outside West Africa. The programme will focus on enhancing the capacity of public accounts and finance committees to scrutinise public borrowing, analyse debt risks and trends, and develop strategies for debt sustainability in the sub-region.
The General Assembly will also review WAAPAC’s internal governance and institutional growth. Proceedings are expected to conclude with tailored country action plans aimed at reinforcing legislative oversight of debt management across member states. Observers from South Africa, Kenya, eSwatini, and representatives of regional parliamentary networks like AFROPAC and SADCOPAC will also participate.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said Nigeria’s hosting of the gathering was both significant and timely.
“At a time when the global conversation on debt management is intensifying, West Africa must not be left behind. This conference will equip our parliaments with the tools to ask the right questions, demand transparency, and ensure that public borrowing serves the people rather than burdens future generations,” he said.
He stressed that the forum would foster peer-to-peer exchange, learning, and collaboration to deepen transparency and fiscal responsibility across the region.
“For Nigeria in particular, it is an opportunity to showcase our commitment to fiscal prudence and legislative oversight. It also allows us to learn from the experiences of our neighbours and adopt best practices that can strengthen our own public finance systems,” Salam added.
He further noted that the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, will officially open the conference, while the Minister of Finance is billed to deliver the keynote address.
In a brief remark shared through the WAAPAC Secretariat, the Chairperson of WAAPAC, Hon. Sorie Jalloh, said:
“The Abuja meeting promises to be a landmark event. We are not only discussing numbers and statistics, we are talking about the future of governance in West Africa. Strong oversight of public debt is essential for stability, growth, and public trust in our institutions.”
Development partners are also expected to play a key role. A goodwill message from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office in Nigeria noted:
“UNDP welcomes Nigeria’s hosting of the 11th WAAPAC Conference. Strengthening parliamentary oversight of public debt is central to achieving sustainable development. We stand ready to support member parliaments in their efforts to enhance accountability and good governance.”
Rep. Salam called on the Nigerian press to give the event extensive coverage, describing it as an important opportunity to spotlight Nigeria’s leadership role in advancing parliamentary accountability on the continent.
“This is one of the continent’s most important accountability platforms. We want Nigerians to be fully aware of the conversations happening here and the solutions being proposed. The media has a duty to carry that message to the people,” he said.
The 11th WAAPAC Annual Conference is projected to strengthen regional cooperation on debt oversight and promote sustainable public finance practices in West Africa.