The Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria met with the Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, to follow up on the latest developments in bilateral relations between the two countries. The meeting addressed ways to enhance economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries, including working to launch an Egyptian-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, in addition to strengthening joint agricultural cooperation and investment in a way that serves the interests of both countries.

According to a statement from the Egyptian Embassy in Nigeria, the Nigerian minister expressed her great appreciation for the existing cooperation between the two countries in the field of capacity building, and in this regard she praised the various training courses that Egypt provides to Nigerian personnel through the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development.

Strong political, economic, and security ties exist between Nigeria and Egypt.

Relations between Egypt and Nigeria are one of the important pillars of African cooperation, as the two countries share common interests that extend from political fields to economic and cultural cooperation. Cairo and Abuja have been keen to enhance coordination on regional and international issues, reflecting their status as two pivotal powers on the continent.

Since 2014, relations between Egypt and Nigeria have strengthened in many areas, and political coordination between the two countries has increased on various African issues, as well as cooperation in combating terrorism and extremism, which both countries have suffered from, in addition to cooperation in the areas of African development.

In terms of diplomatic representation, the Egyptian Embassy in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, is the largest in the African continent and was completed by the Egyptian Arab Contractors Company at the end of 2013, in addition to the Egyptian Cultural Center in the city of Kano in northern Nigeria, and the commercial office in the city of Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria.

In November 2024, Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty met with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tugar on the sidelines of the preparatory ministerial meeting for the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields. The two ministers exchanged views on the most prominent developments on the African scene of common interest, and ways to work together to promote peace and security in the African continent, as well as coordinating positions within the African Union and exchanging support for international nominations in regional and international organizations.

This was preceded by another meeting in August of the same year in Tokyo, during which the two ministers exchanged ways to strengthen the peace and security architecture in the African continent. The meeting also addressed the most important regional and international issues of common interest, and developments in the Sahel and West Africa region, including security challenges and their effects.

In March 2023, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, extended his sincere congratulations to the people and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the successful completion of the presidential and parliamentary elections, which represent an important step in the path of consolidating the foundations of democracy in the sisterly country of Nigeria.

In December 2019, President Sisi received his former Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari, on the sidelines of the Aswan Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development. The President welcomed the Nigerian President, stressing the depth of the historical relations that unite Egypt and Nigeria, and praising the overall relations between them on the political, economic, security and cultural levels.

Egypt and Nigeria cooperate on security measures to combat terrorism.

Relations between Egypt and Nigeria include many issues, including security cooperation between Egypt and Nigeria in confronting terrorism and extremism.

Security cooperation in combating terrorism and extremism is one of the important areas of cooperation between Egypt and Nigeria, especially since both countries have faced challenges from terrorist organizations and groups, most of which are transnational organizations, fueled by the same intellectual extremism and misinterpretation of Islam. Given Egypt’s successful experience in confronting terrorist movements since 2014, its interest in international cooperation in the comprehensive confrontation of terrorism and extremism, as well as the presence of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif as a beacon of moderate Islamic thought and a global reference for Muslims, it was natural to strengthen cooperation between Egypt and Nigeria in the field of intellectual and security combating terrorism and extremism.

Joint business councils to promote trade and investment between Egypt and Nigeria

On the economic front, economic relations between Egypt and Nigeria began from the first day of Nigeria’s independence, as Nigerians relied on many Egyptian talents in various fields during the early stages of building the modern state after independence. In later stages, cooperation in the field of economic and social development became a leading area of cooperation between the two countries.

These relations have also been strengthened through the membership of both Egypt and Nigeria in African economic blocs and strategic partnerships. The two countries joined the Community of Sahel-Saharan States in 2001, and Egypt has observer status in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which was established in 1993 and is the largest economic bloc in Africa. Nigeria is the principal country in this bloc and hosts its headquarters.

In order to develop economic relations between Egypt and Nigeria, the Nigerian-Egyptian Business Council was established in May 2008 and registered with the Nigerian authorities in 2009.

A similar council was also established in Cairo under the name “Egyptian-Nigerian Business Council”. The Egyptian council included large Egyptian companies interested in cooperation between the two countries, most notably Arab Contractors, Orascom, Elsewedy, EgyptAir. On February 28, 2018, the Minister of Trade and Industry discussed with his Nigerian counterpart ways to enhance bilateral trade and joint investments between the two countries, and it was agreed to form the joint Egyptian-Nigerian Business Council.

In the area of mutual investments, the two parties are working to achieve joint industrial cooperation and re-export to the markets of the ECOWAS group of West African countries, which includes 15 countries. The exchange of official delegations, business groups and promotional missions is encouraged to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the sectors of agriculture, industry, health and petroleum and participation in exhibitions held in the two countries.