Nigeria: Shettima calls for EU-Africa collaboration to deliver transformative impact
Speaking on Thursday at the Presidential Villa during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the EU led by Ambassador Gautier Mignot, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Shettima described the EU as Nigeria's 'natural partner' and stressed the need to move beyond promises to tangible outcomes in areas such as infrastructure, trade, education, and digital inclusion.
Shettima said, 'Our expectations as Nigerians and as Africans are clear. We want this partnership to graduate from well-meaning commitments to transformative outcomes. We want more joint ventures, deeper trade facilitation under the AfCFTA, and irreversible investments in energy, education and digital inclusion.'
He reiterated Nigeria's commitment to leveraging the EU's Global Gateway initiative to fast-track priority projects such as high-speed rail, renewable energy infrastructure, port modernisation, and vocational training centres.
'The EU are our natural allies. I am guided by logic and rationality, not sentiment. We see this relationship as long-term and strategic.
'We hope to see the EU move from being a donor to being a co-creator of African prosperity. We really want to be partners, not just aid recipients,' he said, while advocating for a shift from donor-recipient dynamics to a model of co-creation and shared prosperity.
Shettima also highlighted the shared values between Nigeria and the EU, including democratic governance, freedom of worship, gender empowerment, and climate resilience.
On the African Union (AU), the Vice President commended the current leadership of the AU Commission for reinvigorating the institution's vision, noting, 'They are poised to reposition Africa not just as a subject of global discussion, but as a co-author of the world's next chapter.'
In his remarks, Ambassador Mignot emphasized the long-standing and deep-rooted relationship between the EU and Africa, which he said is celebrating 25 years of strong bilateral cooperation.
'The EU is Africa's first trading partner, first investor, first provider of development aid, and first humanitarian donor,' Mignot noted. 'Our foreign direct investment in Africa reached €309 billion in 2022—more than the U.S. and China combined.'
The Ambassador said the visit was also to review the progress of the Joint Vision for 2030, a framework agreed at the 2022 AU-EU Summit, which aligns with Africa's Agenda 2063 and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
In a separate engagement on Thursday, Vice President Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to sustaining the strong bilateral ties between Nigeria and Zambia.
He gave the assurance while receiving Dr. Samuel Miambo, Special Envoy of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who delivered a personal message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Describing Nigeria and Zambia as 'fraternal nations,' Shettima lauded Zambia's contributions to the liberation struggles of southern Africa and its continued democratic stability. He assured of Nigeria's support for Zambia in its efforts to improve governance and the lives of its citizens.
Dr. Miambo, on his part, sought Nigeria's backing for his candidacy for the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB), outlining a vision focused on energy security, infrastructure development, and the establishment of an African Centre of Excellence for Energy in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria's leadership role on the continent would be pivotal to the success of such a candidacy.
The envoy was accompanied by Zambia's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador George Imbuwa, and senior advisers to the Zambian president, Mr. Manfred Ndonuie and Mrs. Elita Mwambazi.
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