Reps speaker canvases stronger Nigeria-Cuba diplomatic ties

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has called for deeper parliamentary diplomacy between Nigeria and Cuba to strengthen cooperation in health, education, research, and investments.

The speaker made the call in Abuja on Sunday while receiving a Cuban delegation, which paid him a courtesy visit.

The delegation was led by Fernando Llort, a national hero of Cuba, member of the National Assembly of the People’s Power of Cuba (ANPP), and President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).

Mr Tajudeen, represented by his deputy, Bemjamin Kalu, stressed that parliamentary diplomacy should go beyond protocol to deliver practical outcomes.

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According to him, frameworks must lead to memoranda of understanding, ratified agreements, and well-funded programmes that can directly impact both nations.

“Our tools are laws, oversight, and convening power. The Nigeria–Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group provides a platform to fast-track frameworks for medical exchanges, academic recognition, joint research, and targeted investments,” he said.

Mr Tajudeen identified strategic areas of partnership, including parliamentary and health diplomacy, trade, culture, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, noting that their implementation would help strengthen bilateral relations.

Trade and cultural collaboration

While recognising the cultural affinity between both countries, Mr Tajudeen lamented the low level of trade.

He cited UN Comtrade data showing that Nigeria’s imports from Cuba amounted to just US$2,380 in 2024, despite strong cultural ties in music, sports, and literature.

He called for opportunities that would benefit artisans, agri-entrepreneurs, and creative industries by turning shared cultural heritage into tangible economic benefits.

Education, health, and youth exchange

The speaker underscored the need for skills-driven partnerships to empower Nigeria’s youth.

He proposed scholarships, reciprocal placements, and joint training programmes to produce professionals versed in international cooperation.

Highlighting Cuba’s track record in healthcare diplomacy, he recalled the deployment of over 1,200 doctors in “Henry Reeve” brigades across 21 countries.

He emphasised that Nigeria could benefit from health expertise exchange, co-developed treatments, and joint vaccine production to build stronger public health systems.

“Nigeria prioritises affordable medicines and vaccine capacity. Cuba’s biotech, including the Abdala COVID-19 vaccine (92% effective against severe disease in published studies), shows what is possible. Partnerships in research, tech transfer, and pilot manufacturing can boost vaccine production, protect public health, and create jobs while advancing Africa’s self-sufficiency,” he said.

Balanced partnership for mutual benefit

Mr Tajudeen affirmed that the relationship must be reciprocal, noting that while Nigeria values Cuba’s accomplishments in biotechnology, health, and education, Cuba also stands to benefit from Nigeria’s large market, natural resources, and continental leadership.

“This is true reciprocity: Cuba brings tested knowledge, Nigeria offers scale and opportunity, and together we can uplift our peoples and the wider Global South,” he said.

Call for concrete frameworks

The speaker urged both parliaments to move beyond symbolic gestures to actionable cooperation that guarantees technology transfer, fair protection of intellectual property, and the creation of local value chains.

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“Let this visit be more than protocol; it must mark the beginning of concrete frameworks between the Nigerian Parliament and Cuba’s National Assembly, and a people-to-people compact linking Abuja to Havana, Lagos to Santiago, and even Bende to Camagüey,” he said.