The proposed legislation amends the existing 2004 Act to facilitate international agreements between Nigeria and foreign nations regarding prisoner transfers
By Mmesoma Onwuka
The House of Representatives on Tuesday received an executive bill seeking to amend the law governing the transfer of convicted offenders. Lawmakers also considered a formal request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve ₦269.45 billion to settle outstanding, verified liabilities of the Federal Government.
The developments formed part of proceedings during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, alongside crucial deliberations on tertiary education charges, clean mobility frameworks, and national development planning.
The executive communication introduced the Transfer of Convicted Offenders (Enactment and Enforcement) (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation amends the existing 2004 Act to facilitate international agreements between Nigeria and foreign nations regarding prisoner transfers. Under the revised framework, the President would be empowered to extend the Act’s coverage via an Order published in the Federal Gazette to non-Commonwealth nations with which Nigeria shares bilateral treaties.
In a separate submission, President Tinubu requested legislative authorization to establish and expand the Federal Government’s Promissory Note Programme. The financial measure aims to clear verified contractual obligations, ongoing project commitments, and other liabilities totaling exactly ₦269,446,402,822.56.
Addressing economic pressures affecting households, the House urged relevant authorities to suspend recent fee hikes and initiate a holistic review of tertiary education charges nationwide.
To support environmental sustainability, lawmakers called on the Federal Government to establish a comprehensive licensing framework for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered vehicles, accompanied by targeted investments in supportive refueling and charging infrastructure.
Additionally, the House resolved that strategic research findings should be institutionalized across public institutions to strengthen governance and socio-economic development planning.
Legislative business saw the Nigeria Employee’s Compensation Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill pass First Reading.
Furthermore, five bills scaled Second Reading. These proposed measures address key governance areas, including strengthening teaching hospital operations, enhancing management across specialist and orthopaedic facilities, establishing a dedicated pension framework for personnel of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and advancing nursing and midwifery education throughout Nigeria.