The Federal Government has confirmed signing the Samoa agreement, a partnership between the European Union and member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
In a statement released on Thursday night, July 4, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris addressed concerns surrounding the agreement, emphasizing that Nigeria’s laws on same-sex marriage take precedence over the agreement.
The Samoa agreement, signed in Apia, Samoa on November 15, 2018, has sparked controversy, with critics alleging that it requires developing nations to support LGBT rights in exchange for financial support from advanced countries. However, the government has clarified that Nigeria’s laws on same-sex marriage remain supreme.
The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the EU and OACPS member states, with negotiations starting in 2018 on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly. Nigeria signed the agreement on June 28, 2024, at the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium.
The government’s clarification comes amid criticism from clerics and human rights activists, who have expressed concerns over the country’s involvement in the agreement.
