The Nigerian government has reiterated its deep commitment to strategic partnership with the European Union, as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) prepares to open its first West African office in Lagos.
Nigeria officially became the EBRD’s 77th shareholder in February 2025, following the bank’s limited and incremental expansion to sub-Saharan Africa approved by its Board of Governors in 2023.
Speaking on Tuesday while playing host to the Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot at the State House, Vice President Kashim Shettima praised the EU’s longstanding support, highlighting the growing opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, and youth empowerment.
“You are our natural partners and allies. Beyond the geography that binds us, we have a cultural affinity that goes back centuries,” Shettima said.
The Vice President noted that Nigeria is entering a new phase of economic openness under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, who he said took bold steps from day one to dismantle key structural challenges.
