Nigeria and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA), with both countries pledging to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and technology.
Speaking at an interactive stakeholders’ session in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the visit of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS WBA as timely, noting that it provided a platform for both nations to explore new opportunities in key sectors of the economy.
She highlighted Nigeria’s long-standing partnership with Russia in areas such as education, defence, energy, and multilateral diplomacy, but stressed the need to move beyond history and embrace future-focused collaboration. Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the Tinubu administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda and its 4-Ds foreign policy—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—was committed to inclusive growth, youth empowerment, and deeper global engagement.
The Minister also commended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for hosting the event, describing her as an inspiration in championing women’s empowerment, education, and innovation. She emphasized that the WBA platform would serve as a catalyst for women-led enterprises in sectors including agro-processing, creative industries, energy, and digital innovation.
Leader of the Russian delegation, Ms. Anna Nesterova, praised Nigeria’s hospitality and expressed optimism that the engagements would translate into concrete partnerships. She said the delegation looked forward to signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that would attract Russian investments and strengthen people-to-people connections.
