Nigeria, Germany Move To Strengthen Economic Partnership

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, met with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, in Berlin on Thursday to explore ways of strengthening economic and energy ties between the two nations.

Germany considers Nigeria its second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, with both countries placing a growing emphasis on deepening cooperation, especially in the energy sector. The German foreign ministry has identified energy collaboration as a “key area for bilateral economic relations”.

During the meeting, Tuggar highlighted the importance of boosting trade, particularly in the area of critical raw materials. He also proposed enhanced cooperation on labour migration.

Wadephul, in turn, emphasized the need to attract greater participation from German businesses in Nigeria, citing the car manufacturer Volkswagen as a promising model:

He said he wanted to encourage the German private sector to become more involved in Nigeria, citing Volkswagen, a car manufacturer, as a positive example.

The ministers also discussed advancing collaboration in vocational training and the exploration of critical minerals, areas seen as vital for the future economic development of both nations.

Notably, Tuggar previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, bringing valuable experience and familiarity to the discussions.