Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have reaffirmed their historic ties and charted new pathways for bilateral cooperation during a high-level engagement between the Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, and the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Fafinyidé Amour-Marie Ako.
The meeting, which held on Friday at Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja, brought together diplomats, directors, and senior officials from both countries for a strategic dialogue.
Ambassador Ako opened the session by conveying Benin’s deep appreciation to Nigeria for its solidarity following the unfortunate Coup d’état that occurred in Benin the previous Sunday.
He described Nigeria as a dependable neighbour whose leadership in West Africa continues to inspire confidence and respect across the subregion.
According to him, “Benin is truly fortunate to have Nigeria as a neighbour – a nation whose support and leadership strengthen peace and stability in our region.”
The Deputy Permanent Secretary outlined the purpose of his visit: to brief Nigerian officials on an upcoming Beninese delegation that will seek to operationalise a new framework for enhanced bilateral cooperation.
The proposed initiative included a diplomatic exchange programme designed to build a sustainable network of collaboration between diplomats of both nations.
The programme intended to promote a deeper understanding of each country’s foreign policy priorities, facilitate real-time information-sharing, and institutionalise professional friendships across both foreign services.
Benin is also seeking Nigeria’s support to develop its emerging diplomatic training centre, with plans to partner closely with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).
Ambassador Ako emphasised that sharing best practices in bilateral diplomacy, multilateral negotiations, and economic diplomacy would significantly strengthen Benin’s institutional capacity.
Responding, Ambassador Ahmed underscored that Nigeria and Benin are not just neighbours, but brothers united by history, culture, language, and shared aspirations.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s consistent commitment to democracy, freedom, and regional stability, noting that “anything that affects Benin affects Nigeria.”
He assured the delegation of Nigeria’s readiness to deepen cooperation across diplomacy, security, and economic development.
The Permanent Secretary welcomed the proposed exchange programme and directed that discussions on the Memorandum of Understanding be accelerated through the relevant Nigerian departments.
He highlighted that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities under the 4Ds – Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora, the foreign policy thrust of the present administration.
He further noted that Nigeria is already strengthening linkages among its states through similar knowledge-exchange engagements and is willing to extend this spirit of cooperation to Benin.
Ambassador Ahmed also encouraged collaboration with institutions such as the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), stressing that leadership development, conflict prevention, and capacity-building remain key areas where joint learning would benefit both nations. He added that Nigeria has the expertise and technical personnel to support Benin in institution-building and sectoral reforms.
On economic cooperation, the Permanent Secretary emphasized the critical importance of intra-African trade amid a rapidly shifting global economic landscape.
He committed Nigeria’s support to ongoing bilateral trade agreements and pledged to expedite Nigeria’s submission of stakeholders required for the joint MOU process.
The meeting also featured Benin’s request for Nigeria’s support in mobilising its business community for the 2026 Cultural and Business Forum, scheduled for 26 January in Abuja and 28 January in Lagos.
The discussion concluded with mutual reaffirmation of commitment to strengthening the deep-rooted relationship between both countries. Ambassador Ako expressed satisfaction with the outcomes, noting that both sides are ready to elevate cooperation to a more institutionalised and future-focused level.
The engagement demonstrated the resolve of Nigeria and Benin to not only maintain their historic bonds but also build a more structured, strategic, and mutually beneficial partnership across diplomacy, trade, culture, and security.
END
