Parliamentary Leadership and Global Appointments
Benjamin Okezie Kalu serves as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing the Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State. He assumed the role of Deputy Speaker of the 10th House in June 2023.
Kalu’s parliamentary career includes service in the ECOWAS Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament, as well as participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In February 2025, he was invited to join the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organisation. This appointment marked Nigeria’s first representation on that global parliamentary trade panel.
Engagement at the Inter-Parliamentary Union
In March 2024, Kalu joined Nigeria’s delegation to the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland. During this assembly, he served as co-rapporteur of a resolution adopted by the IPU.
During the March 2024 engagement in Geneva, Kalu met with WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The discussion focused on obstacles facing African primary-product exporters, specifically addressing issues related to product standards and aflatoxin contamination.
At the same IPU Assembly, Kalu advocated for changes to admission procedures for emergency items to better address crises in Africa. He also addressed ongoing conflicts in Sudan and the humanitarian situation in Gaza during his participation in the assembly.
Pan-African Responsibilities and Humanitarian Advocacy
Kalu’s responsibilities expanded in June 2024 with his entry into the Pan-African Parliament.
In September 2024, Kalu attended the 12th Annual Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments held in Midrand, South Africa. During this conference, he highlighted catastrophic flooding in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. He stated that more than $200 million was required to address the humanitarian consequences of the floods and noted that over one million people had been displaced in one affected state.
Repatriation Reports
Premium Times reported headlines regarding 105 Nigerians repatriated from South Africa due to xenophobia on September 26, 2026. The outlet did not explicitly attribute this event to Kalu in the provided text.