Nigerian House of Representatives to Host 11th WAAPAC Conference and General Assembly in Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts will 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 in Abuja.
This was disclosed in an official press release issued by Mr. Rasheed Draman, Executive Secretary of WAAPAC Secretariat in Accra, Ghana.
The West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC) came into being in February 2009, when participants at a seminar organized by the World Bank Institute (WBI), in partnership with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the Parliamentary Centre (PC) for Public Accounts Committees (PACs), made a resolution to have a West African sub-regional association of PACs. The legislatures of Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone were represented at this seminar. WAAPAC was born out of the realisation that, with a common platform for knowledge exchange and peer learning, PACs would be able to build and enhance their capacities to effectively perform their oversight roles.
The high-level regional gathering, themed “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Debt: The Role of Finance and Public Accounts Committees,” is expected to draw over 300 participants, including lawmakers, auditors, and public finance professionals from across West Africa and other parts of the continent.
The focus will be on building the institutional capacity of Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Finance Committees to ensure effective oversight of public debt and borrowing.
According to the release, “The West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC) is pleased to announce its 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly, scheduled to take place from September 8 to 12, 2025, at the National Assembly of Nigeria, Abuja.
This year’s conference, themed ‘Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Debt: The Role of Finance and Public Accounts Committees,’ will focus on enhancing the capacity of Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Finance Committees to ensure transparency, legality, and value-for-money in public borrowing and debt management.
Over the course of the five-day event, participants will examine pressing issues including debt trends and risks, parliamentary roles in debt governance, and strategies for achieving debt sustainability.
The General Assembly will also deliberate on key matters related to WAAPAC’s organizational growth and governance.
The conference is expected to conclude with country-specific action plans aimed at strengthening parliamentary oversight of public debt across the region.
Delegates will include Members of Public Accounts and Finance Committees, Parliamentary Staff, and Auditors-General from West African nations, alongside representatives from eSwatini, Kenya, South Africa, and sister parliamentary networks such as AFROPAC and SADCOPAC. Esteemed experts in public finance, fiscal policy, and parliamentary oversight from within and beyond the region will also share insights during the event,” he concluded.
Reacting to the official announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday following a high-level meeting with key stakeholders, Representative Bamidele Salam welcomed Nigeria’s selection as host for the upcoming West African Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC) Conference.
He emphasised the importance of WAAPAC’s mission in advancing fiscal responsibility and transparency across the West African sub-region.
According to Rep. Salam, the conference is expected to serve as a robust platform for interaction between Public Accounts Committees, national governments, and other principal stakeholders.
“It will be an avenue for learning and engagement among committees, an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences,” he said.
Speaking on the lineup of expected dignitaries, Salam confirmed that the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, is scheduled to officially declare the event open.
Also expected are the Chairpersons of WAAPAC and the African Organization of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC), alongside a keynote address by Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Finance.
In addition, goodwill messages will be delivered by the Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), representatives of global development partners, and sister parliamentary organisations.
He urged the media to give the conference wide coverage, stating it was an opportunity to “put Nigeria on the map for hosting one of the best sub-regional conferences in the world.”
The 11th WAAPAC Conference is expected to conclude with the adoption of country-specific action plans to enhance legislative oversight of public debt, contributing to more sustainable public finance practices across West Africa.
