The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has urged Nigeria and Italy to deepen cooperation and adopt stricter measures to combat human trafficking, particularly of Nigerian women to the European country.
Abbas spoke on Tuesday while receiving Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Roberto Mengoni, in Abuja, according to a statement signed by Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker.
Abbas said Italy remains one of the largest hosts of Nigerians in the European Union, with about 137,000 Nigerian migrants currently residing there. However, he noted that it is also a major destination for traffickers and their victims.
“I hope and sincerely believe that under your leadership here, Nigeria and Italy will continue to push and push until we eradicate this very serious menace,” Abbas said. “It is something that is a big stigma to our country, and I am sure it is the same thing with the government of Italy.”
The Speaker highlighted Italy’s significance to Nigeria, recalling the long-standing presence of Italian construction firms in the country and describing Italy as “a household name in Nigeria.” He also welcomed the Italian Embassy’s role in fostering political, economic, and cultural ties.
Abbas called for stronger bilateral relations in health, education, and energy, and pointed to the Nigeria-Italy Binational Commission proposed by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a platform to advance security and economic collaboration. He further advocated for favourable immigration policies that would create legal pathways for skilled Nigerian workers.
The Speaker said the House, under his leadership, has established parliamentary friendship groups with 78 countries, including Italy, to strengthen legislative and diplomatic exchanges.
Earlier, Ambassador Mengoni said his visit was part of efforts to engage Nigerian leaders and stakeholders since his posting in October 2025. He stressed shared interests between both countries in counter-terrorism and democratic governance, recalling President Bola Tinubu’s recent participation in an international conference on counter-terrorism in Rome.
The Ambassador expressed Italy’s commitment to expanding commercial and social relations with Nigeria and called for increased exchanges between Africa and Europe.
