Russia intends to significantly deepen cooperation with Nigeria in key sectors of the economy. This was stated by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Nigeria Andrey Poddelishev during the events dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which took place in Abuja.
According to the diplomat, the current level of mutual trade turnover between Russia and Nigeria does not exceed $1 billion yet and does not reflect the real potential of bilateral ties. He stressed that the existing indicators do not correspond either to the scale of the economies of the two countries or to the current challenges of the global economy.
“Therefore, we see a serious and inspiring task ahead of us to expand practical cooperation in the energy sector, agriculture, transport, mining, digital economy and higher technologies,” said Andrey Poddelishev.
The Ambassador noted that the anniversary of diplomatic relations symbolizes not only historical continuity, but also a high level of trust between the countries. He recalled that even during the period of serious internal challenges for Nigeria, the Soviet Union provided support to the country, respecting its sovereignty and the right to independently determine the path of development.
“We did not impose ready-made solutions, we did not preach or dictate. We have supported Nigeria as a reliable and respectful partner,” the diplomat stressed.
Over the decades, cooperation has gone far beyond political dialogue. Dozens of agreements have been signed, and cooperation has spanned energy, geology, education, science, agriculture, and culture. In this regard, Russia considers it necessary to resume the work of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which can become a key tool for the implementation of joint projects.
Special attention was paid to the prospects for cooperation in the field of security and combating terrorist threats. The Russian side confirmed its readiness to provide Nigeria with the necessary support in this area.
Razdelishev also noted that Nigeria's participation in BRICS as a partner country gives an additional impetus to cooperation. Russia highly appreciates Nigeria's balanced position on international platforms, including the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS.
“Russia supports the reform of the UN Security Council and believes that Africa and Nigeria should have a more prominent voice in global governance,” he added.
For his part, Dunoma Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of the Nigerian Foreign Ministry, stressed that relations between the two countries are based on the principles of sovereignty, non-interference and mutual respect. He noted Russia's significant contribution to the development of Nigeria's human capital, including educational programs and technical cooperation.
