President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded to the House of Representatives, the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities order recently granted by the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Godwin Onyeama to the Africa Corporation. This practice, is in accordance with the provisions of the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act, Cap. D9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

In the letter read by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara (APC: Bauchi) at the plenary session of Wednesday, November 30th 2016, President Buhari noted that the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) is an African-led multilateral development financial institution whose mandate is to improve African economies by proactively developing and financing infrastructure development in Africa.

The President also stated that the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued the order for the purpose of according the African Finance Corporation certain legal capacity, immunities and exemptions from certain taxes, rates and customs duties in line with Nigeria’s’ obligation to the Corporation as its host nation and major shareholder. The President also stated that his submissions were in accordance with Section 21 of the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act, 2004, which provides that;

“ All Orders and regulations made under this Act shall be laid before the National Assembly within fourteen days after the date of the making thereof if the National Assembly is then in session, and, if not, shall be laid before the National Assembly within three sitting days after the date of the commencement of the next ensuing session. If any Order or regulation is not so laid, or either House of the National Assembly passes a resolution disallowing the Order or regulation within seven sitting days after the laying, the Order or regulations shall thenceforth be void without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder”.