Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, continues his official visit to Algeria with a series of high-level engagements to deepen parliamentary and diplomatic cooperation.
He was hosted to an official dinner and visited key heritage sites — the Palace of the Rais (Bastion 23), the Moudjahid Museum, and the Great Mosque of Algiers (Djamaa El Djazair).
Speaker Abbas also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral and parliamentary relations between both nations.
During the meeting Speaker Dr Tajudeen Abass called for a review of the visa policy between Nigeria and Algeria towards a better bilateral relationship between the two African countries.
He specifically recommended that both Nigerian and Algerian Parliaments work towards a bilateral visa facilitation framework, including visa-free access for diplomatic and official passport holders and streamlined visa processes for ordinary citizens, business leaders, students, researchers, and cultural exchanges.
While commending the Algerian minister for sharing the commitment to advancing Nigeria–Algeria cooperation, the Speaker recalled when Attaf met with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar earlier in August and agreed to strengthen diplomatic relations with the revitalisation of the Binational Commission to advance strategic cooperation between both nations.
Dr. Tajudeen also suggested that the parliaments of both countries should strategize on how to fast-track the revival of a Commission to provide a structured framework for sustained bilateral cooperation.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s legislative support and commitment to the successful completion of the massive Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project, while assuring the Algerian minister of Nigeria’s willingness to mobilise support for the project from other West African parliaments whose countries are involved in the project.
The Speaker while noting that both Nigeria and Algeria are members of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, highlighted how parliamentary cooperation can support the removal of legislative barriers to trade such as customs duties and visa challenges for businesspeople.
He also stressed the need to combat regional security challenges in the Sahel caused by terrorism, climate change, and political instability.
The Speaker while expressing optimism that the future will bring Nigeria-Algeria closer for the benefit of both countries and the continent of Africa, also used the occasion to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Algeria,
