Nigeria, Saint Lucia Deepen Relations with Focus on Trade, Education, Climate Resilience
Nigeria and Saint Lucia have taken a significant step toward strengthening diplomatic and development cooperation following a high-level bilateral meeting between both countries’ top diplomats.
As part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to the Caribbean island, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, met with Hon. Alva Romanus Baptiste, Saint Lucia’s Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation, and Diaspora Affairs, to chart a new course for bilateral relations.
Ambassador Tuggar delivered warm greetings from the Government and people of Nigeria, and expressed appreciation for the hospitality shown to President Tinubu’s delegation. He emphasized the deep historical and cultural bonds linking both nations—rooted in African ancestry, shared colonial history, and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
During the meeting, Ambassador Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s interest in formalizing diplomatic ties with Saint Lucia. He noted that while the Nigerian High Commission in Port of Spain currently covers Saint Lucia, formal diplomatic relations would enhance collaboration within the OECS and CARICOM frameworks.
He also proposed a structured partnership between Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) and Saint Lucia’s Political and Economic Cooperation Development Division. The partnership aims to:
Deploy Nigerian professionals to support Saint Lucia in health, education, and agriculture;
Promote youth empowerment and institutional capacity-building;
Advance joint training and development programmes.
Ambassador Tuggar further encouraged cooperation in education diplomacy—through scholarships, academic exchanges, and research collaborations—to strengthen people-to-people ties.
On the economic front, Ambassador Tuggar identified potential areas for trade and investment, including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, ICT, and renewable energy. He also highlighted the shared vulnerability of Nigeria and Saint Lucia to climate change, offering Nigeria’s support in disaster risk reduction, adaptation, and access to climate finance.
He reiterated Nigeria’s willingness to advocate for Saint Lucia and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on international platforms such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and the AU–CARICOM initiatives.
Also present at the meeting were Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, and the Director General of NTAC, Rt. Hon. Dr. Yusuf Buba Yakub.
The meeting ended with both sides expressing optimism that stronger bilateral ties would promote mutual prosperity and deeper regional solidarity.