The High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Canada, Emeritus Professor Isaac F. Adewole, presented his Letters of Credence to Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Louise Arbour, Governor-General of Canada, on 15 September 2026 in Ottawa, Canada, formally marking the commencement of his diplomatic engagement in the country.
Following the presentation, Ambassador Adewole held a brief audience with the Governor-General, during which he expressed appreciation to the Government of Canada for accepting his nomination as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada. He conveyed the fraternal greetings of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to the Governor-General, as well as the President’s felicitations and best wishes on her assumption of office as the 31st Governor-General of Canada.
The audience provided an opportunity to highlight the longstanding cordial relations between Nigeria and Canada. Ambassador Adewole expressed Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with the Canadian authorities to expand mutually beneficial cooperation and build on the existing foundation of friendship between both countries.
The High Commissioner also highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to promote democracy, good governance and counter-terrorism in Africa, noting Nigeria’s role in addressing regional security and development challenges through ECOWAS and the African Union.
Earlier, the Right Honourable Arbour described Letters of Credence as an instrument of trust between states and emphasised the importance of rules-based interstate cooperation in advancing national interests and shared values. She also highlighted the impact of conflict, climate change and global competition in technological innovation, and called for efforts to create the conditions for peace, greater prosperity and an improved quality of life.
The ceremony underscored the importance of sustained Nigeria-Canada engagement based on mutual respect and shared interests, and strengthened by enduring people-to-people and institutional ties. Ambassador Adewole expressed his determination to use his tenure to expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and further consolidate Nigeria-Canada relations.
The Federal Government of Nigeria looks forward to continued constructive engagement with Canada in advancing shared objectives, particularly in the promotion of peace, development, democratic governance and mutually beneficial international partnerships.
Signed:
Oluwafemi Adeniyi
Spokesperson
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja
Monday, 21 September 2026
