Europe announces 70 million euro package to bolster Nigerian farming and safety efforts

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The European Union has announced fresh support packages worth €70 million for Nigeria, including €45 million for security and peacebuilding and €25 million for agriculture, as both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic partnership.

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The announcement was made on Thursday during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

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According to a statement released by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the meeting reviewed progress made since the Second Nigeria-EU Ministerial Dialogue in March 2026 and explored new areas of cooperation covering security, trade, investment, agriculture, innovation, migration and regional stability.

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According to the statement, Mignot disclosed that “the EU was finalising approval of a €20 million support package under the European Peace Facility to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism capabilities through the provision of counter-drone and counter-improvised explosive device equipment.”

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He added that “an additional €25 million peace and stabilisation programme for Nigeria’s North-West was also being prepared alongside other peacebuilding initiatives.”

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The ambassador further announced “that preparations had reached an advanced stage for a €25 million flagship agricultural programme focusing on Nigeria’s dairy and cocoa value chains.”

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He also revealed that consultations were ongoing with the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission to facilitate President Bola Tinubu’s proposed official visit to Brussels, with October 2026 identified as the most feasible period.

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According to him, the visit “would provide an important platform for further consolidating the strategic partnership between Nigeria and the European Union and unveiling significant new areas of cooperation.”

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Mignot also highlighted ongoing negotiations on the Nigeria-European Union Readmission Agreement and the Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Agreement, saying the latter would significantly enhance research collaboration and expand opportunities for Nigerian institutions under the Horizon Europe Research Programme.

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He pointed to the success of the Nigeria-EU Business Forum in Lagos and noted increasing investments by the European Investment Bank and other European financial institutions in support of small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly women-led and youth-owned businesses.

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Responding, Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed what she described as the positive momentum in Nigeria-EU relations and expressed appreciation for the bloc’s continued support through the Global Gateway Initiative, the European Peace Facility and other development cooperation programmes.

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She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, renewable energy, agriculture, infrastructure, innovation, migration, peace and security.

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The minister commended the EU for its sustained support for Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly its assistance to the Multinational Joint Task Force and regional peacebuilding initiatives.

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She welcomed the proposed North-West Stabilisation Programme and stressed the need for increased international support to address evolving security challenges.

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Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the proposed presidential visit to Brussels as an opportunity to deepen economic cooperation and attract greater investment, noting that the European Union remains one of Nigeria’s foremost trading and development partners.

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On security, she appreciated the EU’s balanced and objective understanding of Nigeria’s security situation, noting that the country’s security challenges stem from “multiple factors, including terrorism, banditry, communal conflicts, resource competition, and criminality, rather than religious persecution alone.”

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The meeting also addressed democratic governance, migration, regional security, developments within ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States, as well as broader international issues.

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Mignot informed the minister that the European Union intended to deploy an Electoral Expert Mission for Nigeria’s forthcoming elections to provide technical support for electoral reforms and the implementation of previous recommendations.

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Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the Nigeria-European Union Strategic Partnership through sustained political engagement, expanded economic cooperation, enhanced peace and security collaboration, and closer coordination on regional and global issues.

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They expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s proposed visit to Brussels would mark another milestone in advancing relations between Nigeria and the European Union.

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