Nigeria and Canada have unveiled a renewed push on trade, security and migration after talks in Abuja.
According to a statement on Tuesday by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting, brought together Bukar Hamman, Director of Regions at the ministry, and Susan Steffan, Director-General of the West Africa and Maghreb Bureau at Global Affairs Canada, who led a visiting Canadian delegation.
They described the engagement as warm, constructive and forward-looking, with discussions spanning trade, migration, security cooperation and cultural exchange.
Read also: Tinubu calls for global partnership to defeat terrorism
Both sides underscored what they called the “strong and positive” relationship between Nigeria and Canada and pledged to expand it further.
Steffan noted that her delegation’s visit began in Lagos, which she described as “a big bang” that highlighted the scale of commercial opportunities for businesses from both nations.
She reaffirmed Canada’s interest in expanding economic engagement and welcomed Nigeria’s call for increased trade volumes and renewed momentum on previously paused negotiation instruments and market-opening agreements.
According to her, reactivating these commitments would send “a strong market signal” to global investors and boost confidence for companies operating in the two countries.
She pointed to recent Nigerian business missions to Canada, including participation in major energy exhibitions in Alberta and creative-industry showcases in Toronto, as examples of the growing commercial synergy.
A significant portion of the discussion focused on migration, particularly the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding currently guiding cooperation between the two countries.
Canada expressed readiness to continue refining the framework in alignment with Nigeria’s priorities to ensure an orderly and mutually beneficial movement of people.
Steffan also celebrated Canada’s sizable Nigerian diaspora population, now over 82,000 people, describing it as a community that “enriches our lives and communities.”
She highlighted the increasing number of Nigerian students and the expanding business diaspora, which she said continues to contribute to innovation and bilateral investment.
Steffan noted that the country’s population has “doubled in recent decades,” largely due to immigration, which she said has strengthened ties with Nigeria and other partner nations.
Hamman reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen cooperation across all fronts and welcomed Canada’s commitment to sustained dialogue and partnership.
