Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has reaffirmed the country’s dedication to financial inclusion, economic empowerment, and green financing at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Spain. Tuggar delivered a national statement on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, outlining strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s economic framework and uplifting vulnerable groups.
In his address, the Minister spotlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the capacity of Nigeria’s development finance institutions — including the Bank of Industry and Bank of Agriculture — to better serve micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), particularly businesses led by women and youth.
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Tuggar delivered the keynote address at the launch of the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), a groundbreaking initiative promoting green financing and supporting sustainable development goals in Nigeria and across Africa.
The Minister also held a series of high-level bilateral meetings to bolster Nigeria’s international collaborations. In talks with Preeti Sinha, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), both sides agreed to fast-track negotiations for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at providing interest-free loans and business support for Nigerian SMEs, targeting job creation and economic inclusion.
In a separate engagement with Sweden’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tuggar sought Swedish expertise to support the implementation of Nigeria’s newly enacted tax reforms and appealed for Sweden’s backing of Nigeria’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2030–2031 term.
These diplomatic engagements underscore Nigeria’s proactive stance in driving sustainable, inclusive economic policies while strengthening its international partnerships for shared prosperity.
