Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for a strengthened partnership between the European Union (EU) and Africa, emphasizing the potential for transformative development on the continent. Speaking during a meeting with an EU delegation led by Ambassador Gautier Mignot, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima described the EU as Nigeria’s “natural partner.”
He highlighted the significant role EU investments have played in supporting the reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Shettima urged a shift from well-intentioned commitments to tangible, transformative results, advocating for deeper bilateral ties.
The Vice President expressed Nigeria’s readiness to leverage the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, a strategic plan to invest in smart, clean, and secure infrastructure and connectivity worldwide. He specifically cited projects like high-speed rail links, improved ports and airports, renewable power plants, and vocational training centers as areas for accelerated collaboration.
“The EU are our natural allies and natural partners. I am guided by logic, rationality and not by sentiments. We see our relationship with the EU as a long-term goal because we have come a long way, and there is room for improvement,” Shettima stated. “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, unchangeable investments in energy, education and digital inclusion.”
Shettima also highlighted the shared values between Nigeria and the EU, including a commitment to democracy, freedom of worship, inclusivity, and gender empowerment. He called for a future where multilateralism reflects true mutuality.
“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 with the European Union, not as recipients of aid but as co-creators of prosperity and wealth,” he said.
Ambassador Mignot emphasized the long-standing and robust relationship between the EU and Africa, noting the 25th anniversary of their partnership. He highlighted the EU’s position as Africa’s leading trading partner, investor, provider of official development assistance, and humanitarian donor.
“The EU is Africa�s first partner�its first trading partner, first investor, first provider of official development assistance, and first humanitarian donor,” Mignot stated. He also noted that EU foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa reached �309 billion in 2022, significantly surpassing investments from the United States and China.
The meeting also served to review progress on the Joint Vision for 2030, a strategic framework agreed upon at the 2022 AU-EU Summit, which aligns with Africa�s Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The discussion focused on enhancing the EU�s presence and commitment to African development.
