Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellency Cheikh Niang, on Friday, July 17, 2026.

The meeting took place on the margins of the ongoing ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

?During the discussions, Ambassador Enikanolaiye commended the long-standing, cordial relations between Nigeria and Senegal, expressing a strong commitment to deepening the brotherly ties between both nations.

He emphasized the necessity of establishing direct, bureaucracy-free communication channels between ministers to foster more efficient collaboration and consultation on both bilateral and multilateral fronts.

?A key highlight of the meeting was the Nigerian minister's call to resuscitate the Nigeria-Senegal Joint Commission. Ambassador Enikanolaiye noted that reviving this platform would unlock fresh opportunities for mutual collaboration, particularly in boosting trade and commerce.

He underscored that the excellent political relationship between the two West African nations must translate into tangible economic benefits for their citizens.

?In his response, the Senegalese Foreign Minister, Cheikh Niang, congratulated Ambassador Enikanolaiye on his appointment and lauded his initiative to drive closer diplomatic collaboration.

Minister Niang praised his Nigerian counterpart's contributions during the ECOWAS Council of Ministers’ meeting, describing his approach as knowledge-based and expertise-driven qualities he noted are vital for contemporary regional engagement.

?Minister Niang welcomed the proposal for enhanced bilateral engagement, agreeing that closer consultation will significantly strengthen both nations' ability to address issues of mutual interest across the region.