In a major step to deepen bilateral relations, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, on Monday, 4th August 2025, received the Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), H.E. Dr. Waleed Al-Bahar, in Abuja for a high-level meeting focused on advancing development cooperation between the two nations.
Welcoming the Kuwaiti delegation, Ambassador Tuggar underscored the longstanding and cordial relations between Nigeria and Kuwait, dating back to the 1960s. He commended the Kuwait Fund for its significant contributions to social and economic development across the Global South, including Nigeria.
The discussions centred on strategic partnerships across key sectors aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. These include infrastructure development, education, food security, youth empowerment, and economic diversification.
Education featured prominently in the talks, with both parties acknowledging the success of the Reaching Out-of-School Children initiative in Kaduna State—an initiative backed by KFAED in collaboration with UNICEF. Ambassador Tuggar called for the expansion of such impactful programmes nationwide to bridge Nigeria’s education gap.
On food security, the Minister advocated for closer cooperation in agricultural modernization—particularly in areas such as irrigation systems, agro-processing, and technology transfer. He noted that Kuwait’s high food import reliance presents an opportunity for mutual benefit through innovation and joint ventures.
Tuggar also proposed a pipeline of infrastructure projects in critical areas such as transport, power, and digital connectivity. He emphasized the need for continued concessional financing and technical support from the Kuwait Fund to bring these projects to fruition.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to institutionalize bilateral cooperation, the Minister disclosed plans to host the inaugural session of the Nigeria-Kuwait Joint Commission for Cooperation later this year.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both parties expressing commitment to translating shared goodwill into tangible development outcomes that benefit citizens in both countries.
