Key Takeaways from Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar’s Presentation, at the Ministerial Press Briefing Series

Key Takeaways from Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar’s Presentation, at the 5th edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series

1. The Ministry is repositioning Nigeria globally, through the clear articulation of President Bola Tinubu’s 4D Foreign Policy Doctrine (Democracy, Development, Diaspora, Demography); clear definition of Nigeria’s global role and interests; and amplification of Nigeria’s voice multilaterally and bilaterally.

2. Spearheaded strategic global alliances and achieved diplomatic milestones: President Tinubu’s re-election as ECOWAS Chair, and chairing of pivotal ECOWAS summits; Re-election of Nigeria’s Ambassador Bankole Adeoye as AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, reinforcing its leadership in continental security; Nigeria’s retention of its seat on the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) for another three years; Nigeria achieved partner membership in BRICS; Nigeria is now a regular invitee to the G20: India, Brazil, and now South Africa; new African Energy Bank and African Central Bank will be headquartered in Nigeria

3. Nigeria signed a Sealift agreement with the African Union under which Nigerian naval vessels will be used for conveying for African troops and equipment for peacekeeping missions

4. Achieved upgrading of Nigeria’s bilateral relationship with China to the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

5. Led humanitarian initiatives (evacuation of African students from Ukraine; negotiations for medical support for Palestinian children affected by conflict)

6. Secured the release of Nigerians detained or stranded abroad (in Addis Ababa, Saudi Arabia, UAE)

7. Facilitated the transfer of $52.88 million in forfeited assets from the United States of America to Nigeria

8. Deployed 213 Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers to African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries, strengthening Nigeria’s global influence through technical assistance and capacity building. Ministry is also exploring opportunities to commercialise the TAC for countries interested in benefiting from Nigerian technical capacity.

9. Launched the Nigerians in Diaspora Database to strengthens engagement with the diaspora community. The database now has more than 11,000 registrations.

10. Facilitated $14 billion in Investment Commitments from Indian Investors; Secured €250 million for Nigerian businesses from the Netherlands; supported Nigeria’s successful Eurobond issuance, which achieved 300% oversubscription

11. Facilitated the signing of strategic MOUs with Germany, Saudi Arabia, China, Equatorial Guinea, France, Cuba, Qatar, UK, India, Brazil

12. Middle East engagements: secured interest from Saudi Arabia and Egypt in investing in Nigeria’s River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs), and opened up new vista of cooperation with Bahrain, the first country in the region to establish a petroleum economy

13. Strategic engagements with Brazil have led to JBS, the largest meat processor in the world, announcing a planned investment of $2.5 billion investment in Nigeria (including in the construction of six new factories); to the commercial take-off of the first phase of the $1.1 billion Green Imperative agricultural technology initiative, more than six years after the initial MoU was signed in 2018; and to the resumption of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, after a decade-long break

14. Facilitated removal of trade tariffs on Nigerian cashews and nuts by China

15. Facilitated the signing of a landmark Gulf of Guinea gas pipeline agreement with Equatorial Guinea

16. Nigeria announced as co-chair of the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), alongside Germany. The GGG is a German government initiative that aims to increase the use of guarantees to finance the green transition

17. Secured scholarships for 20 young Nigerians to study at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) in Berlin, Germany

18. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs HQ Exhibition Atrium, launched in December 2023, has welcomed 1,500+ visitors, including diplomats, students, and artists, showcasing Nigeria’s history, democracy, and cultural heritage

19. Through Digital Platforms, the Ministry has achieved over 850 million global impressions in the media, utilizing social media and international media organisations like the Financial Times, BBC, and Bloomberg

20. Digitisation of the operations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ongoing