Nigeria eyes stronger trade, security collaboration as Russia ties reach 65 years

The Federal Government is seeking deeper cooperation with Russia in trade, security, energy, and technology as Nigeria marks 65 years of diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, conveyed Nigeria’s warm felicitations to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, describing the milestone as a testament to decades of mutual respect, friendship, and strategic collaboration.

Diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Russia (then the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR) were formally established in 1960, shortly after Nigeria gained independence.

The USSR was among the earliest nations to recognise and build ties with the newly sovereign state, a gesture Nigeria says laid the groundwork for a partnership that has endured major shifts in global politics over six and a half decades.

According to the statement, over the years, the bilateral relationship has grown through cooperation in education, defence, infrastructure development, and science.

“Russia’s long-standing scholarship programme for Nigerian students, particularly in engineering, medicine, and the sciences, was highlighted as one of the foundational pillars of the relationship, contributing significantly to human capital development in Nigeria.

“In the last decade, both countries have also broadened engagement across emerging and strategic sectors such as energy, counter-terrorism, agriculture, and solid minerals development.

“Cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties have further deepened mutual understanding between citizens of both nations”, the statement read.

Tuggar noted that Nigeria values Russia’s consistent support in multilateral forums and sees Moscow as an important global partner in addressing shared challenges.

“With increasing uncertainty in international affairs, he emphasized the need for Nigeria and Russia to scale up cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, and global peace and security.

“As we celebrate this historic milestone, Nigeria looks with optimism toward a future of even greater cooperation,” the minister said, stressing that both countries stand to benefit from exploring new opportunities and strengthening existing areas of partnership.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s readiness to consolidate the longstanding relationship, describing the 65th anniversary as not only a reflection of past achievements but also a springboard for a more robust and mutually beneficial partnership in the years ahead.