President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday agreed to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany, with particular focus on the security, power, and railway sectors.
In a telephone conversation, the two leaders also expressed their willingness to cooperate in creative arts and skill development.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
President Tinubu highlighted the need for support in Nigeria’s Presidential Power Initiative, particularly in power transmission. “Nigeria will require assistance with power transmission,” he said.
The German Chancellor pledged that Siemens would be ready to provide technical support, while Deutsche Bank would be willing to finance the project.
The two leaders also discussed security challenges in the Sahel region. President Tinubu said, “The Sahel corridor is bad and needs our support. Intelligence support and reconnaissance are needed,” calling for the supply of used helicopters to aid intelligence operations in the area.
Onanuga noted that diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Germany have existed for about 65 years.
Chancellor Merz reportedly said his country is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Nigeria’s new ambassador to Germany. He also stressed the importance of arts and called for the establishment of the Great Museum of African Arts.
According to the statement, the telephone conversation began at 2:01 pm and ended at about 2:10 pm.
