Shettima pushes for Nigeria-Thailand ties beyond crude oil, rice

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Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday in Abuja called for Nigeria’s relationship with Thailand to go beyond transactions in crude oil and rice production, urging both countries to deepen cooperation in technology, agriculture, commerce and renewable energy.

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Shettima made the call when he received a delegation from Thailand led by its Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

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The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday titled, ‘Nigeria, Thailand to Expand Bilateral Ties in Technology, Agriculture, Renewable Energy.’

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According to Nkwocha, Nigeria is seeking a review of existing partnerships with Thailand, particularly by leveraging the Asian country’s comparative advantage in deploying intermediate technology in agriculture and related sectors.

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Thailand, meanwhile, proposed a Thailand-Africa Initiative aimed at strengthening relations with key African countries through people-to-people ties and economic cooperation, particularly in agriculture.

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Speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, Shettima acknowledged the cordial relationship between Nigeria and Thailand but said there was a need to expand the scope of the partnership.

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“I believe that our relationship should go beyond transactions in crude oil, rice production and so on. So, there is a need for us to review our bilateral relationship at a strategic level,” he said.

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He highlighted the opportunities Nigeria offers as a market and investment destination, saying, “Nigeria is a large market. There are enormous opportunities for partnership and investment in agriculture, ICT, renewable energy, and solid minerals, and we have a young population and workforce.”

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The Vice President urged the Thai government and businesses to continue investing in Nigeria, citing the country’s strategic position in Africa, demographic advantage and abundant natural resources.

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Earlier, Phuangketkeow, who is on his first trip to Africa, praised what he described as the ongoing transformation in Nigeria under the Tinubu administration.

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He described Nigeria as a strategic partner to Thailand, a strong voice in the Global South and an emerging leader in e-commerce.

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He said the proposed Thailand-Africa Initiative was designed to strengthen economic ties, business relations and people-to-people connections across Africa.

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According to him, a key component of the initiative would focus on economic cooperation in agriculture, while also exploring Thailand’s strengths in Universal Health Coverage and tourism, among other areas.

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“For us in Thailand, we believe that Nigeria is a strategic partner bilaterally and an important window to strengthening ties with Africa, particularly West Africa,” Phuangketkeow said.

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Other officials present at the meeting included the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, and the Ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria, Thirapath Mongkolnavin, among other senior officials from the foreign affairs ministries of both countries.

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