Nigeria and Israel have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in security, defence, agriculture, technology, healthcare and trade as both countries seek to deepen their longstanding relationship.
The renewed commitment was made during the valedictory visit of the outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu commended Ambassador Freeman for his role in advancing Nigeria-Israel relations during his diplomatic posting. She reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to broaden collaboration with Israel in critical areas, including counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, border security, security financing and capacity building.
The minister also underscored the need for stronger partnerships between Nigerian startups and Israeli technology companies to drive innovation. She further advocated leveraging Israel’s expertise in water management and modern agriculture to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural productivity and food security.
In his remarks, Ambassador Freeman described Nigeria as an “amazing country” with warm and welcoming people, noting that sustained engagement between both nations was key to unlocking the full potential of their bilateral relationship.
The outgoing envoy reiterated Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in innovation, agriculture, healthcare, education, skills development and security. He also expressed optimism that bilateral trade between the two countries, currently estimated at about $200 million annually, would witness significant growth in the years ahead.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared resolve of Nigeria and Israel to expand cooperation across strategic sectors, with both sides expressing confidence that stronger partnerships would deliver mutual economic and security benefits.
