?Nigeria and the European Union have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding their strategic relationship following high-level bilateral talks in Abuja between Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and EU Ambassador to Nigeria Gautier Mignot.

?During the engagement, the EU envoy disclosed that arrangements are underway for an official visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Brussels in October 2026 to consolidate economic ties and unveil new areas of cooperation.

Ambassador Mignot announced that the EU is finalizing a €20 million defense support package under the European Peace Facility—focused on counter-drone and counter-IED equipment—alongside a separate €25 million peace and stabilization initiative targeted at Nigeria’s North-West region.

?On the economic front, preparations have advanced for a €25 million flagship agricultural program targeting the dairy and cocoa value chains.

The meeting also reviewed ongoing negotiations regarding readmission agreements and a Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation Agreement that will grant Nigerian institutions expanded access to the Horizon Europe Research Program.

?Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu commended the EU for its sustained support of Nigeria's security architecture, including backing for the Multinational Joint Task Force.

She welcomed the EU’s nuanced assessment of Nigeria’s security climate as a complex mix of terrorism, banditry, and resource competition, while both parties pledged continued coordination on regional stability, trade investments, democratic governance, and international law.