Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing Nigeria–Thailand relations to the level of a fully fledged strategic partnership, encompassing political, economic and cultural cooperation.
The minister made the declaration in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, following a series of bilateral engagements with his Thai counterpart, Sihasak Phuangketkeow. The talks took place on the margins of the relaunch of the Thailand–Africa Initiative in Bangkok.
Tuggar congratulated Sihasak on his recent appointment and conveyed Nigeria’s condolences over Thailand’s recent national bereavements, including the death of the Queen Mother and casualties resulting from natural disasters. He expressed appreciation for the longstanding cordial relations between Abuja and Bangkok, noting that Nigeria was keen to elevate the partnership to strategic status across multiple sectors.
Both sides acknowledged past high-level exchanges and pledged to reinvigorate diplomatic momentum through reciprocal visits. Tuggar welcomed Thailand’s renewed outreach to the continent under the Thailand–Africa Initiative, proposing joint projects aligned with Nigeria’s domestic priorities. He encouraged Bangkok to explore deeper collaboration between ASEAN and ECOWAS, with the long-term ambition of convening a joint summit between the two regional blocs.
The minister highlighted opportunities for economic diversification, pointing to complementary strengths in agro-processing, energy ventures and trade. Nigeria is a key crude oil exporter, while Thailand is known for rice production and machinery manufacturing. Tuggar also cited prospects for cooperation in the defence industry, knowledge transfer, and investment in agriculture, as well as expanding collaboration in ICT, manufacturing and renewable energy. He noted that Nigeria offered attractive incentives and access to a sizeable consumer market.
Tuggar commended Thailand’s scholarship and training schemes and called for an expansion of opportunities for Nigerian students and professionals. He similarly praised the ongoing Sustainable Agricultural Technology Development Project and advocated scaling up joint research in sustainable farming.
He emphasised that Nigeria–Thailand relations were being strengthened within the broader BRICS framework, with discussions ongoing over reciprocal support. Tuggar said Nigeria stressed the need for cooperation against transnational crimes such as drug trafficking and human trafficking, proposing enhanced intelligence-sharing and joint training initiatives.
Regional issues also featured prominently, with Nigeria offering its perspectives on the Sahel, developments in Myanmar and stability along the Thailand–Cambodia border. Tuggar urged both nations to fast-track outstanding bilateral agreements in trade, investment, agriculture, education and cultural exchange, with the aim of establishing a Joint or Bi-National Commission.
The minister underscored the importance of consular cooperation, including the protection of Nigerian nationals, streamlined visa procedures and reciprocal facilitation for Thai citizens. He further called for stronger collaboration between the Thailand International Cooperation Agency and Nigerian institutions, proposing pilot projects in rural development and SME support.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to deepening ties, Tuggar extended an invitation for reciprocal visits, describing Thailand as a strategic partner in Asia and expressing confidence in a mutually beneficial future relationship.
