Nigeria- Kuwaiti Ties: Time Tested Cooperation For Mutual Benefits

The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the State of Kuwait have taken another step to improve their bilateral relations in various areas for mutual benefits as the Gulf country has pledged to support more economic programmes in Nigeria.

Cooperation between these two important nations was in full glare during celebration of Kuwait’s 65th National Day and 35th Liberation Day in Abuja recently with top Nigerian government officials and members of the diplomatic community in attendance to grace the colourful event.

One area that speaks to the core essence of the bilateral ties between both nations is Nigeria’s concessional loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund in 2025, valued at about US$62.8 million. This fund is supporting climate-resilient, school infrastructure, teacher training and inclusive access to quality education, especially for girls and children with disabilities.

During the celebration on Tuesday, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed , described   Kuwait as a trusted development partner, stressing that bilateral relations between both countries have evolved into concrete programmes that address Nigeria’s social and human capital priorities.

The permanent secretary, who was represented by   the director of regions department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bukar Buni Hamman, added that beyond education, both countries are expanding discussions on cooperation in agriculture, food security, infrastructure, digital connectivity and renewable energy, while Nigerian states are opening investment opportunities to Kuwaiti partners.

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Salim Almuzayen, in his remarks said the celebration reflected not only Kuwait’s national milestones but also the country’s commitment to partnerships that promote sustainable development, particularly with long-standing allies such as Nigeria.

He pointed to the “Reaching Out of School Children” project in Kaduna State, funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development in collaboration with UNICEF, as a flagship example of cooperation, noting that the initiative is designed to support more than 200,000 out-of-school children.

Almuzayen said Kuwait’s development engagement is guided by its moderate foreign policy and long-term vision to work with partners toward shared prosperity, adding that Kuwait has financed projects in more than 100 countries since the establishment of the Kuwait Fund in 1961.

Nigeria and Kuwait also enjoy cordial relations in oil and gas, agriculture, trade and industry among others, with clear objectives to increase capacity in these sectors   as Nigeria’s regional, continental and international roles are very much commendable.

In addition, the State of Kuwait has often adopted the principle of equanimity and moderation in its foreign policy, with clear features and frameworks in its diplomatic relations, with its aspiration for the whole world to participate in its Vision 2035 for the future Kuwait as a regional financial, commercial and cultural center.

Part of the efforts to boost education in Nigeria has been demonstrated with the building of the Sheikh Al Sabah College in Kaduna in the 1960s, which testified to the depth of these historical relations, even before the official relations began. This has opened new horizons for joint cooperation in various areas between the two friendly countries.

Recall that in 2020 the Nigerian government approved bilateral air services agreement (BASA) with Kuwait as the  then Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika explained that the agreement will serve as a gateway for seamless airline services between both countries which is in line with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The strategic location of Nigeria in Africa makes it a country to benefit from diplomatic engagements with Kuwait in terms of investment opportunities and Nigeria’s huge endowment in natural resources and investment opportunities in diverse fields make it an attraction to policy makers and investors.

Relations between both countries were on the popular level and later metamorphosed into diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries in 1971. Nigeria opened its embassy in Kuwait officially in December 1980, which was reciprocated later on by Kuwait opening its embassy in Nigeria in May 2005. These ties include a wide range of cooperation in various fields.