Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly have participated in the 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Africa Region Conference held in Malawi from August 9 to 16, 2026.
The delegation, led by the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Danladi Jatau, Ph.D., attended the conference hosted by the Parliament of Malawi under the theme, “Renewing the Social Contract: Parliaments as Catalyst for Inclusive Growth and Citizen Trust.”
The conference was declared open by the Speaker of the Malawi Parliament and President of the CPA Africa Region, Rt. Hon. Sameer Sulaiman.
Sulaiman described the African region as a vital pillar of the Commonwealth parliamentary family, noting that the CPA has more than 63 member branches across Africa.
He said the annual conference provides legislators from Commonwealth African countries with an opportunity to exchange experiences, share ideas and develop practical solutions to challenges confronting the continent.
Goodwill messages and expert presentations were delivered during the conference, with contributions from the CPA International Secretary-General, Stephen Twiggy, and a representative of the United Nations debt programme.
Discussions focused on strengthening parliamentary collaboration and solidarity in the fight against corruption, improving governance through effective oversight, renewing the social contract between governments and citizens, strengthening democracy, addressing climate change and promoting justice.
The Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, who is a member of the CPA Budget Committee, actively participated in the conference and made contributions to deliberations on emerging national and international issues.
Jatau also raised issues concerning the experiences of Nigerian citizens in South Africa, alongside other matters of global concern.
Other presentations and deliberations at the conference covered governance, peace and security, artificial intelligence, innovation, digital government, youth development, women’s participation and social inclusion.
Speaking on the outcome of the conference, Jatau reaffirmed the commitment of the Nasarawa State lawmakers to apply the knowledge and experiences gained in Malawi to their legislative responsibilities in Nigeria.
He said the lessons from the conference would be domesticated in Nasarawa State to promote effective legislation, accountability, good governance and development.
The conference brought together 13 Speakers of national parliaments, Speakers of sub-national legislatures and more than 300 delegates from across Commonwealth parliamentary jurisdictions.