Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja on Thursday, 23 July 2026. Credit: MFA
The European Union has announced fresh support packages worth €70 million for Nigeria, including €45 million for security and peacebuilding initiatives and €25 million for agriculture, as both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their strategic partnership.
The announcement was made on Thursday during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the meeting reviewed progress made since the Second Nigeria-EU Ministerial Dialogue held in March 2026 and explored new areas of cooperation in security, trade, investment, agriculture, innovation, migration and regional stability.
Mignot disclosed that the EU was finalising approval of a €20 million support package under the European Peace Facility to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts through the provision of counter-drone and counter-improvised explosive device (IED) equipment.
He added that an additional €25 million peace and stabilisation programme for Nigeria’s North-West was also being developed alongside other peacebuilding initiatives, bringing the bloc’s new security support to €45 million.
On agriculture, the EU ambassador announced that preparations were at an advanced stage for a €25 million flagship programme aimed at boosting Nigeria’s dairy and cocoa value chains.
Mignot also revealed that consultations were ongoing with the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission to facilitate President Bola Tinubu’s proposed official visit to Brussels, with October 2026 identified as the most suitable period.
According to him, the visit would provide an opportunity to further strengthen Nigeria-EU relations and unveil new areas of cooperation.
He further highlighted ongoing negotiations on the Nigeria-European Union Readmission Agreement and the Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Agreement, noting that the latter would deepen research collaboration and expand opportunities for Nigerian institutions under the Horizon Europe Research Programme.
The ambassador also pointed to the success of the Nigeria-EU Business Forum held in Lagos, while noting increased investments by the European Investment Bank and other European financial institutions to support small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly women-led and youth-owned businesses.
Responding, Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the growing momentum in Nigeria-EU relations and expressed appreciation for the bloc’s continued support through the Global Gateway Initiative, the European Peace Facility and other development cooperation programmes.
She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment, renewable energy, agriculture, infrastructure, innovation, migration, peace and security.
The minister also commended the EU for its sustained support for Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly its assistance to the Multinational Joint Task Force and regional peacebuilding efforts, while welcoming the proposed North-West Stabilisation Programme and calling for increased international support to address evolving security challenges.
