The Federal Republic of Nigeria has congratulated the Russian Federation on the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
In a statement by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa,Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, extended warm greetings to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, noted that the partnership dated back to 1960, shortly after Nigeria’s independence, when the USSR was among the first countries to formalize diplomatic ties with the new nation.
Ambassador Tuggar highlighted the enduring nature of the Nigeria-Russia relationship, marked by cooperation in education, infrastructure, defence, and more recently, energy, security, agriculture, and counter-terrorism. Generations of Nigerian students have benefited from Russian scholarships in engineering, medicine, and the sciences, while cultural and people-to-people exchanges have strengthened mutual understanding.
The Minister also underscored Russia’s support in international forums and emphasized the potential to expand collaboration in trade, investment, science, technology, and global peace and security.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to nurturing this historic partnership, building on the strong foundation established over six and a half decades.
