Zambia seeks to learn from Nigeria’s national values charter

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Zambian government has expressed interest in studying Nigeria’s National Values Charter, the core of the proposed Nigerian Identity Project earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council.

This emerged during a meeting between officials of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) led by its Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and a delegation from the Zambian High Commission headed by Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Jenipher Mutembo, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Issa-Onilu, in his welcome remarks, said the NOA remains one of Nigeria’s largest agencies with 818 offices across the 774 local government areas, all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the agency serves as a vital communication channel between the government and citizens, promoting patriotism, civic responsibility, and unity, while providing feedback to policymakers and the parliament.

The DG noted that Nigeria’s model of community engagement and grassroots communication had begun to attract international attention, citing similar interest expressed by the Gambian High Commissioner in London.

Mrs Mutembo, in her response, commended NOA’s nationwide reach and its strong grassroots presence, describing it as a model worth emulating.

She said, “This grassroots model is powerful, and we see its potential as a framework other African countries, Zambia included, can learn from.”

The diplomat also praised the NOA’s openness to collaboration and highlighted Zambia’s interest in adopting elements of Nigeria’s civic education and national reorientation strategies.

While commending Nigeria’s global cultural influence, she raised concerns about recurring themes of rituals and occultism in Nollywood films, urging filmmakers to prioritise positive African values that promote unity, innovation, and pride in heritage.

Mrs Mutembo called for stronger cooperation between both nations in cultural diplomacy, media content exchange, and civic education.

She reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Nigeria and said the country was exploring structured orientation models that promote responsible citizenship and sustainable national development.