The Public Accounts Committee of the Nigerian House of Representatives is set to host the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC) from September 8 to 12, 2025, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Bamidele Sallam said at a Press briefing in Abuja that the conference would bring together participants from across West Africa.
The conference discussion will centre on equipping Public Accounts and Finance Committees with the capacity for effective oversight of public debt and borrowing.
He said that the conference is to leverage the experiences of parliamentarians from different countries.
This year’s conference, themed “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Debt: The Role of Finance and Public Accounts Committees,” and it is expected to attract over 3000 participants, including lawmakers, auditors, fiscal policy experts, and public finance professionals from across West Africa and beyond.
The five-day event will focus on:
• Building the capacity of PACs and Finance Committees for effective oversight of public debt and borrowing;
• Examining debt trends and risks in the region;
• Defining parliamentary roles in debt governance;
• Developing strategies to ensure debt sustainability.
The General Assembly will also deliberate on WAAPAC’s organisational growth and governance. The conference is expected to close with country-specific action plans to strengthen parliamentary oversight of public debt across West Africa.
Delegates will include; members of Public Accounts and Finance Committees, Parliamentary Staff, and Auditors-General from across the region, as well as representatives from eSwatini, Kenya, South Africa, and sister parliamentary networks such as AFROPAC and SADCOPAC.
“This conference provides a robust platform for learning, engagement, and experience-sharing among committees and key stakeholders. It will help advance fiscal responsibility and transparency across the sub-region,” Sallam said.
He also confirmed that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas will officially declare the event open, while the Minister of Finance will deliver the keynote address.
Dignitaries expected include the Chairpersons of WAAPAC and AFROPAC, alongside goodwill messages from the UNDP Country Director, global development partners, and sister parliamentary organizations.
Sallam urged the Nigerian media to give the event wide coverage, describing it as an opportunity to showcase Nigeria as host of one of the most important parliamentary accountability conferences in Africa.
He said; “The 11th WAAPAC Conference is expected to set the stage for stronger legislative oversight and sustainable debt management practices across West Africa.”
WAAPAC was established in 2009 following a World Bank Institute seminar in partnership with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the Parliamentary Centre (PC).
Legislatures from Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone participated in that historic session, resolving to create a sub-regional body that would strengthen parliamentary accountability through peer learning and knowledge sharing.