The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Sweden have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, with a strong focus on trade, innovation, and regional cooperation.
This was the outcome of a high-level meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Monday.
Central to the discussions was the expansion of economic ties, particularly in trade, investment, and technology. Ambassador Westerholm highlighted Sweden’s readiness to support Nigeria’s green and digital transition, noting opportunities for collaboration in digital infrastructure, innovation, and technology development.
She also disclosed that Sweden has upgraded its commercial presence in Nigeria with the establishment of a trade office in Lagos, led by a government-appointed Trade Commissioner. The move, she said, underscores Sweden’s growing interest in deepening economic engagement with Nigeria.
Beyond technology, both countries explored potential partnerships in the energy sector and Nigeria’s fast-growing creative industry. Sweden expressed interest in leveraging its expertise in music production and business models to collaborate with Nigeria’s globally recognised Afrobeats industry.
On the diplomatic front, Sweden commended Nigeria’s role as a strategic partner in promoting a rules-based international order, particularly within the United Nations. Both countries also pledged continued cooperation in multilateral and regional frameworks.
Regional security featured prominently in the talks, with both sides examining developments in West Africa, especially the Sahel region and evolving dynamics within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including its relationship with the Alliance of Sahel States.
Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and regional cooperation as key strategies for addressing security and governance challenges. He emphasised Nigeria’s leadership role in promoting stability, dialogue, and long-term solutions across the sub-region.
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The minister also stressed the importance of economic integration within ECOWAS, citing progress under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), while calling for greater private sector participation to fully harness its benefits.
Both parties agreed to sustain high-level engagements and explore new avenues of cooperation. As part of ongoing diplomatic exchanges, Sweden’s State Secretary is expected to visit Nigeria next week for further discussions.
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