Zambia to Adopt Nigeria’s National Values Charter
The Government of Zambia has expressed interest in adopting Nigeria’s National Values Charter, a key component of the proposed Nigerian Identity Project earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
This development followed a high-level meeting between officials of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) led by its Director-General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and a delegation from the Zambian High Commission in Nigeria, headed by the Deputy High Commissioner, Jenipher Mutembo.
The meeting, held at the NOA headquarters in Abuja, marked the second engagement between both parties on the subject.
According to a statement by the NOA, the Zambian government is keen on understudying the framework and implementation process of Nigeria’s National Values Charter, with a view to replicating a similar initiative in Zambia to strengthen national cohesion, civic responsibility, and ethical reorientation among its citizens.
Issa-Onilu, while welcoming the Zambian delegation, said the Charter was designed to serve as a social contract between the government and the Nigerian people, promoting values such as patriotism, discipline, integrity, and accountability.
He noted that the interest shown by Zambia underscores the growing recognition of Nigeria’s effort in redefining the relationship between the state and its citizens through value-based governance.
“The National Values Charter is not just a document; it’s a living framework aimed at rebuilding trust between the people and government. We are glad that Zambia has shown interest in learning from Nigeria’s approach,” Issa-Onilu said.
In her remarks, Mutembo commended the NOA for its innovative national reorientation programmes and said Zambia was ready to collaborate with Nigeria in areas of civic education, identity management, and national values promotion.
She expressed optimism that the partnership would foster stronger bilateral ties and enhance people-to-people relations between the two African nations.
Both countries agreed to work towards formalizing cooperation on national orientation and civic education, with plans for technical exchange visits and knowledge-sharing sessions in the coming months.
