The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and advancing continental cooperation during the inaugural Nigeria–South Africa Political Consultations held in Abuja on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
The high-level consultations were co-chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Thandi Moraka, in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations signed during the 10th Session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Abuja in 2021, and reinforced during the 11th Session held in Cape Town in 2024.
Both sides engaged in extensive deliberations on political, economic, and social developments in their respective countries, as well as key regional and global issues. The meeting provided a platform to review progress on shared commitments, particularly in areas of trade and investment, defence, energy, transportation, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two countries reiterated their shared vision of promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development across Africa, emphasizing the importance of multilateral cooperation under the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) frameworks. They pledged continued collaboration in advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and supporting each other’s candidatures at international organisations.
The highlights of the consultations were the acknowledgment of the Nigeria–South Africa Minerals Partnership Agreement, signed in April 2025 to boost investment and technology transfer in the mining sector, and the January 2025 MoU on Air Traffic and Navigation Services between South Africa’s ATNS and Nigeria’s NAMA. Both countries also agreed to simplify visa processes for business travellers, to enhance trade and mobility.
The meeting further reviewed the MoU on Standards and Standardisation between Nigeria’s Standards Organisation (SON) and South Africa’s Bureau of Standards (SABS), which is awaiting final approval by Nigeria’s Ministry of Justice. Both parties expressed optimism that the agreement will soon be concluded.
In the area of culture and creative industries, the two countries commended the success of the 2021 Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement, which continues to foster joint film production, skills transfer, and investment in both nations’ entertainment sectors.
The ministers welcomed the establishment of a Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) to serve as a monitoring and evaluation mechanism for all BNC and Political Consultation outcomes. The JIC will meet quarterly to track progress and ensure effective implementation of all bilateral decisions.
Both sides also expressed readiness for the upcoming G20 Africa Outreach Meeting on Industrialisation and Agriculture, to be hosted in Abuja on November 3, 2025, which is expected to project Africa’s priorities on industrialisation, sustainable agriculture, and value-chain development within the global economy.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu, on behalf of the Nigerian government, lauded the South African delegation for their “commitment, openness, and constructive engagement,” noting that the discussions yielded “fruitful and forward-looking outcomes.”
The parties agreed to hold the next session of the Nigeria–South Africa Political Consultations in Abuja in 2026, preceded by a Mid-Term Review Meeting, with dates to be mutually agreed through diplomatic channels.
