Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, received His Excellency, Hocine Mezoued, the Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to Nigeria, on a courtesy visit on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, in Abuja, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and advancing strategic partnership between the two countries. This was contained in a statement signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, anipr, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.
During the meeting, the Algerian Ambassador described Nigeria and Algeria as longstanding partners bound by solidarity, shared African values, and a common commitment to peace, security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and continental development. He noted that both countries had continued to maintain strong diplomatic engagements and policy coordination at regional and multilateral levels, particularly within the African Union and the United Nations.
The Ambassador highlighted ongoing cooperation in strategic sectors, including infrastructure, transportation, education, parliamentary exchanges, military cooperation, and trade. He informed the Honourable Minister that the Third Meeting of the Steering Committee on the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project was scheduled to be held on 3rd and 4th June 2026, with participation from relevant Ministers of Algeria, Nigeria and Niger.
He also disclosed that Air Algeria was undertaking studies towards extending its operations to Lagos following the commencement of the Algiers-Abuja route in April 2025. According to the Ambassador, the initiative aimed to strengthen connectivity, trade, and people-to-people relations between the two countries. In the area of human capital development, the Ambassador noted that Algeria had increased scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students in higher education, vocational and technical training programmes, with over 130 Nigerian students benefitting between 2025 and 2026. The Ambassador further highlighted cooperation in parliamentary and military sectors, including the establishment of the Nigeria-Algeria Parliamentary Friendship Group in March 2025 and the exchange of military study visits between institutions of both countries. He informed the Honourable Minister that an Algerian Navy delegation would participate in activities marking the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Nigerian Navy scheduled to hold in Lagos from 1st to 4th June 2026.
Speaking on future engagements, the Ambassador emphasised the importance of convening the next session of the Nigeria-Algeria High Bilateral Cooperation Commission, expected to hold in Algeria later in 2026. He also stressed the need to revitalise the Political Consultation Mechanism at the Permanent Secretary level to further strengthen policy coordination between both countries.
In her remarks, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs commended the Algerian Ambassador for his efforts towards strengthening bilateral relations and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustaining its longstanding diplomatic ties with Algeria spanning over six decades. The Honourable Minister underscored the strategic importance of Nigeria-Algeria cooperation, particularly in the areas of peace and security, humanitarian affairs, economic integration, infrastructure development, and intra-African trade. She reiterated Nigeria’s strong support for the Trans-Saharan Highway and related regional connectivity projects, noting their significance in promoting continental integration and economic growth under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Honourable Minister also expressed appreciation for Algeria’s educational support through scholarship programmes for Nigerian students and commended the parliamentary and military exchange initiatives as important mechanisms for strengthening institutional cooperation and mutual understanding. Both sides agreed on the need to accelerate the implementation of existing bilateral agreements and prioritise outstanding cooperation frameworks ahead of the forthcoming session of the Bi-National Cooperation Commission.
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