Nigeria, Japan Deepen Bilateral Ties At TICAD 9

The Nigerian Federal Government has mapped out ways to strengthen its bilateral relations with Japan and expand the economic opportunities for both countries’ mutual benefit.

Indications to this development emerged when Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) to advance bilateral cooperation and strengthen diplomatic ties between both countries.

According to a statement issued on Friday by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant to Tuggar, the Nigerian Minister commended Japan’s hospitality and leadership in hosting TICAD 9, acknowledging the cordial relations between both countries and Japan’s longstanding support for Africa’s development through TICAD and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Discussions centred on expanding economic cooperation, with Nigeria inviting Japanese investment in priority sectors such as energy transition, agriculture, infrastructure, and the digital economy. The Honourable Minister also briefed on Nigeria’s economic reforms aimed at improving the investment climate.

The two sides reviewed opportunities for technical cooperation in vocational training, renewable energy, and climate-smart agriculture. They also exchanged views on regional security, counterterrorism, maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea, and peacekeeping collaboration.

Ambassador Tuggar further invited Japanese technology companies to participate in Nigeria’s Smart City and Digital Economy initiatives and sought greater cooperation in science, innovation, and health systems strengthening.

In alignment with the priorities of TICAD 9—inclusive growth, climate resilience, and peacebuilding—both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhanced multilateral cooperation, including on UN reform and global peace initiatives.

Ambassador Tuggar concluded by inviting his Japanese counterpart to visit Nigeria for follow-up consultations and proposed the establishment of a Nigeria–Japan Strategic Partnership Framework to guide future engagements.