President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Colombia, pledging the swift implementation of all agreements reached between the two nations.
Receiving Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez and her delegation at the State House in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s readiness to expand partnerships in aviation, trade, culture, and diplomacy, noting that shifting global economic and political dynamics demand stronger international cooperation.
The President said the agreements finalized under Vice President Kashim Shettima’s supervision would receive immediate government attention. He highlighted the possibility of replicating Nigeria’s existing aviation and consular agreements with Brazil in its relations with Colombia.
“I believe the Vice President and his team have done a great job. Our business opportunities with Colombia have been enhanced, and every aspect of the agreements will be supported. Particularly for Colombia, the agreement we entered with Brazil can easily be replicated in aviation, and our diplomatic relations will be accelerated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Tinubu stated.
The President urged Colombian investors to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, agriculture, and other emerging industries, citing the country’s young and growing population as an asset for economic growth.
Vice President Shettima described Márquez’s visit as a step toward reconnecting Africa and Latin America, rekindling cultural and ancestral ties severed by slavery and colonialism.
For her part, Márquez expressed Colombia’s commitment to fostering long-term relations with Nigeria, highlighting potential collaborations in aviation, visas, political consultations, trade, gender equality, and social justice.
“As the first black Vice President of Colombia, I am extremely delighted to lead this visit to the land of our ancestors. Our ancestors were taken away from Africa centuries ago, and this visit begins a new chapter of reconnection and shared prosperity,” Márquez said, adding that discussions on direct flights between Nigeria and Colombia had already commenced.
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She also praised Nigeria’s leadership in Africa and the African Union’s advocacy for restoration and reparations, stressing that closer collaboration with Latin America and the Caribbean would deliver mutual benefits.
The high-level meeting was attended by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of Finance and Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.
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