Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar delivered a powerful national statement on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to financial inclusion and economic empowerment. This was contained in a statement signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, to Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In his address, the Minister highlighted Nigeria’s strategic efforts to scale up the capacity of its development finance institutions, such as the Bank of Industry and Bank of Agriculture, to better support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with a particular focus on women and youth-led businesses.
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Tuggar served as the keynote speaker at the launch of the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), where he emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to green financing and sustainable development goals.
The Minister also engaged in high-level bilateral meetings to strengthen Nigeria’s international partnerships. In a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), discussions centred on deepening collaboration to support job creation and SME growth in Nigeria. Both parties agreed in principle to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at providing interest-free loans and broader support for small businesses.
In a separate meeting with Sweden’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Tuggar sought Swedish technical expertise for the implementation of Nigeria’s newly signed tax reform policy. He also solicited Sweden’s reciprocal support for Nigeria’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2030–2031 term.
These engagements underscore Nigeria’s proactive diplomacy and unwavering commitment to building inclusive, sustainable economic pathways for its citizens.
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