Nigeria Signs Samoa Agreement: What You Need to Know

Nigeria has officially signed the Samoa Agreement, a significant development in international relations. The Samoa Agreement is a partnership pact involving the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), aimed at fostering cooperation and development among its member countries.

The agreement, signed on 15 November 2023 in Apia, Samoa, has the backing of 79 member states, representing a population of over 1.5 billion people from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific regions. It focuses on key areas such as human rights, democracy, governance, economic growth, climate change, and migration.

Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, the Secretary-General of the OACPS, emphasized that the Samoa Agreement is a crucial step towards progress and collaboration among member states. The partnership seeks to enhance investment, trade relations, and sustainable development while promoting peace and security in the regions.

On 28 June 2024, Nigeria joined other member states in signing the Samoa Agreement. Ambassador Obinna Chiedu Onowu represented Nigeria at the signing ceremony held at the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels, solidifying the country’s commitment to the partnership.

The Nigerian government clarified that the agreement does not endorse same-sex marriage in exchange for financial benefits, debunking misleading claims. Senior Special Assistant to the President, Temitope Ajayi, dismissed the rumors as false information aimed at misleading the public.

Media reports suggesting that Nigeria signed the agreement to legalize same-sex marriage for $150 billion were refuted by Bolaji Adebiyi, the Media Assistant to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning. Adebiyi reiterated that the agreement focuses on Nigeria’s development and does not include any provisions related to same-sex marriage.