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The federal government of Nigeria has clarified that the same-sex marriage clause in the Samoa Agreement is not binding on the country, asserting that any part of the agreement inconsistent with Nigerian laws will be deemed invalid.
“Nigeria’s endorsement was accompanied by a Statement of Declaration, dated June 26, 2024, which clarified that any provision inconsistent with Nigerian laws shall be invalid. Notably, Nigeria has an existing legislation against same-sex relationships enacted in 2014,” stated Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, in a statement on Thursday.
Idris explained that the agreement was signed in the best interest of Nigeria following extensive reviews and consultations by the Interministerial Committee, convened by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
“On June 28, 2024, Nigeria signed the Samoa Agreement at the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium. This partnership agreement is between the EU and its Member States, and the OACPS members,” he stated.
Negotiations on the agreement began in 2018 during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly and were signed in Apia, Samoa, on November 15, 2018, by all 27 EU Member states and 47 of the 79 OACPS Member states.
“The Samoa Agreement provides a vital legal framework for cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union, aiming to promote sustainable development, combat climate change, generate investment opportunities, and foster collaboration among OACPS Member States,” Idris said.
The agreement includes 103 articles, comprising a common foundational compact and three regional protocols: Africa-EU, Caribbean-EU, and Pacific-EU, each addressing the specific issues of the regions.
Elijah Idowu
