By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has solicited the support of the People’s Republic of China in advancing the digital transformation of legislative institutions across Nigerian states.
Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin made this call during a courtesy visit to the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ambassador Yu Dunhai, at the Chinese Embassy in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the 36 State Assemblies under the aegis of Conference of Speakers, the Chairman expressed appreciation to the Ambassador for the warm reception and extended goodwill from all Nigerian state legislatures.
He highlighted key areas of potential collaboration with China, including legislative capacity building, digital governance infrastructure, education and technology exchange, and strategic investment in infrastructure, agriculture, and SMEs.
“In line with global best practices, we are keen on fully digitizing legislative processes at the sub-national level in Nigeria to enhance transparency, citizen participation, and institutional efficiency.
“Our vision is to build smart, responsive and transparent legislative institutions that meet today’s digital demands. China’s expertise in e-governance and legislative innovation presents a valuable opportunity for us to learn and adapt”, Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin said.
He further expressed interest in leveraging China’s experience in legislative drafting, committee systems, and development-focused policy frameworks to strengthen Nigeria’s lawmaking institutions.
The Speaker also called for educational exchange programmes, scholarships, and technology transfer opportunities for Nigerian youths to build capacity and foster innovation.
Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin reaffirmed the Conference’s commitment to continuous engagement and partnership for national growth and development.
In his response, Ambassador Yu Dunhai welcomed the initiative and commended the Conference of Speakers for its developmental drive.
He assured of the Chinese government’s willingness to explore mutual areas of cooperation that would further strengthen China-Nigeria bilateral relations, especially at the sub-national level.
