Reps panel set to review Nigeria’s treaties, MoUs

The House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements has announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of all treaties, agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) entered into by Nigeria with foreign partners.

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The Committee’s Chairman, Rabiu Yusuf, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Abuja, saying the exercise was aimed at protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty, economic security and long-term national interest.

Mr Yusuf said Nigeria, over the years, had entered into numerous international agreements without sufficient legislative oversight, proper domestication or effective monitoring, a situation he described as risky and unsustainable.

According to him, some of the agreements contain clauses that Nigerians are largely unaware of, including hidden obligations, waivers of sovereignty, unfavourable arbitration provisions and financial commitments that could expose the country to long-term liabilities.

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He said the committee would pay particular attention to foreign-funded infrastructure contracts, especially those involving foreign companies, noting that such agreements require rigorous assessment of value for money, loan exposure, compliance with local content requirements, contract performance, as well as environmental and labour standards.

“Nigeria cannot afford treaties that weaken our legal authority, compromise national assets, or burden future generations with unsustainable liabilities,” Mr Yusuf said.

The lawmaker explained that the review was also intended to ensure full compliance with Section 12 of the Constitution, which requires the domestication of international treaties before they can have the force of law in Nigeria.

He added that the committee would work to ensure Nigeria’s sovereignty is never undermined in its foreign engagements, while shielding the country from harmful financial exposure, poor contractual terms and non-performing obligations.

Other objectives of the exercise, he said, include promoting transparency around treaties and major contracts, strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating position and recommending a national framework for treaty oversight and digital tracking to prevent similar lapses in the future.

Mr Yusuf noted that international agreements have direct implications for Nigerians’ daily lives, affecting areas such as job creation, trade, taxation, infrastructure development and foreign investment. He warned that poorly negotiated treaties could weaken the economy, increase public debt and even threaten strategic national assets.

He said the committee’s intervention would help ensure that international partnerships deliver tangible benefits to Nigerians rather than becoming a source of economic distress.

“Our mandate is clear: to examine all bilateral and multilateral treaties, protocols, agreements, and foreign-funded contracts Nigeria has entered into and determine whether they protect or endanger the national interest,” he said.

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Describing the assignment as one of the most significant national reviews in recent times, Mr Yusuf said the committee had been mandated to examine all bilateral and multilateral treaties, protocols, agreements and foreign-funded contracts entered into by Nigeria, and to determine whether they safeguard or undermine the national interest.

“This review is not political. It is patriotic, constitutional, and essential for Nigeria’s sovereignty, debt sustainability, and economic security,” he said.