President Bola Tinubu Holds Summit With European Union Delegation At Aso Rock....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

President Bola Tinubu held a meeting on Thursday with a delegation from the European Union (EU) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Leading the EU delegation, Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen, responsible for International Partnerships, engaged in discussions with Tinubu.

During the meeting, Tinubu advocated for the enhancement of cross-sectoral collaboration between Nigeria and the EU, based on the fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law, and freedom.

A statement issued on Thursday by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale noted that President Tinubu warmly welcomed the signing of eight financing agreements between Nigeria and the EU under the “EU Global Gateway in Nigeria” program at a separate event earlier in Abuja.

Tinubu underscored the significance of economic cooperation between Nigeria and the EU, particularly in the fields of digital education, traditional and renewable energy, and broadband access.

He emphasized that Nigeria’s economy is currently undergoing a series of long-lasting reforms aimed at enabling it to uplift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

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Tinubu expressed, “We have a young and vibrant population, and we are determined to succeed. If we succeed, democracy succeeds. If we succeed, freedom succeeds. We need all of our partners’ hands on deck to sail together. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships.”

In her remarks, EU Commissioner Urpilainen commended Nigeria for its pivotal role as a key partner of the EU, not only in politics and economics but also in shaping the social landscape across the African continent.

She explained that over the past four years, the EU has been working to transform its relationship with Africa, moving away from the traditional donor-recipient dynamic towards establishing an equal and mutually beneficial partnership through the “Global Gateway” investment program.

Urpilainen noted that this strategy, agreed upon at the AU-EU Summit in Brussels the previous year, aims to secure €300 billion in investments, with €150 billion allocated to Africa.

She praised Tinubu for the crucial role Nigeria played in supplying key energy products during its standoff with Russia in recent times. Urpilainen also highlighted the potential for expanding the oil and gas partnership, with Nigeria holding a strategic position within the “Global Gateway” strategy to expedite green and digital transformations in EU partner countries.

“We are investing in critical infrastructure such as energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure, as well as in human capital, education, and research,” she stated.

The EU delegation included Ms. Samuela Isopi, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS; Ms. Rita Laranjinha, Managing Director of the Africa and European External Action Service (EEAS); Ms. Lora Borissova, Africa Advisor, Cabinet of EU; and Ms. Maria Pilar Palmero Vaquero, Head of Unit for Western Africa, Directorate-General International Partnerships (DG INTPA).