Rasheeda Yahaya
Nigeria and The Gambia on Monday, 15 àDecember 2025, reaffirmed their long-standing bilateral relations and commitment to deeper cooperation across diplomacy, security, justice reform, and capacity building, following an audience granted by Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON to his Gambian counterpart, Honourable Sering Modou Njie and his delegation at his office in Abuja.
During the meeting, the Gambian Foreign Minister conveyed warm fraternal greetings from President Adama Barrow and expressed profound appreciation for Nigeria’s consistent support for The Gambia, particularly during its post-2017 political transition. He acknowledged Nigeria’s pivotal role in stabilising the country at a critical moment in its democratic evolution, noting that Nigeria’s leadership and solidarity were instrumental in sustaining peace, security, and institutional continuity.
The Gambian Minister commended the professionalism and contribution of Nigerian security personnel deployed in support of The Gambia, especially in strengthening national defence capabilities and maintaining internal stability. He described Nigeria as a dependable regional partner whose commitment to peacekeeping and democratic norms continues to reinforce confidence within West Africa.
On justice and governance reforms, the Gambian delegation highlighted ongoing efforts to address past human rights violations through institutional reforms and accountability mechanisms. Nigeria’s technical and moral support in advancing justice programmes, capacity development, and rule-of-law initiatives was particularly acknowledged as vital to consolidating democratic gains.
Defence cooperation was a prominent feature of the discussions. The Gambian Minister, drawing on his prior experience as Defence Minister, underscored Nigeria’s assistance in military training, professional development of officers and personnel, and provision of logistical support. He noted that Nigerian military institutions remain central to building the operational readiness and professionalism of The Gambia’s armed forces.
In the diplomatic sphere, the Gambian side sought Nigeria’s continued support in strengthening the capacity of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including plans to develop and expand diplomatic training infrastructure. In this regard, both parties explored opportunities for enhanced training placements, technical cooperation, and institutional partnerships.
The meeting also reviewed preparations for the next session of the Nigeria-Gambia Joint Commission, expected to be hosted in the first quarter of 2026. Both ministers agreed that the Joint Commission provides a critical platform for translating political goodwill into concrete outcomes across trade, defence, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
In response, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to The Gambia as a brotherly nation and valued ECOWAS partner. He reiterated Nigeria’s readiness to continue supporting democratic consolidation, security cooperation, institutional capacity building, and regional integration efforts.
Both ministers agreed that closer collaboration, sustained dialogue, and mutual respect remain essential to addressing shared regional challenges, strengthening ECOWAS, and advancing peace, stability, and development across West Africa.
