The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has sought the support of the People’s Republic of China to advance the digital transformation of Nigeria’s state legislatures.
Ogundoyin made the call on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Yu Dunhai, at the Chinese Embassy in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the 36 state legislatures under the Conference of Speakers, the Chairman expressed appreciation for the warm reception and conveyed the goodwill of the Nigerian sub-national parliaments.
He outlined several areas of potential collaboration, including legislative capacity building, digital governance, education and technology exchange, as well as Chinese investment in infrastructure, agriculture and small businesses across Nigerian states.
“In line with global best practices, we are keen on fully digitising legislative processes at the sub-national level to promote transparency, enhance citizen participation and improve institutional efficiency,” Ogundoyin said.
“Our vision is to build smart, responsive, and transparent legislative institutions that meet today’s digital demands. China’s remarkable progress in e-governance and legislative innovation presents a unique opportunity for us to learn and adapt.”
He also expressed interest in drawing from China’s experience in legislative drafting, committee operations, and development-oriented policy frameworks to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The Speaker called for education-based partnerships such as scholarships and exchange programmes for Nigerian youth, aimed at deepening innovation and capacity building in governance and technology.
Ogundoyin reaffirmed the Conference’s readiness for sustained engagement with China in pursuit of national and sub-national development goals.
In his remarks, Ambassador Yu Dunhai commended the Speakers’ Conference for its forward-looking approach and assured that the Chinese government was open to exploring areas of mutual interest that would deepen China–Nigeria relations, particularly at the state level.
