The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency Le Anh Tuan and members of the delegation. The meeting reaffirmed the longstanding cordial relations between Nigeria and Vietnam and underscored the shared commitment of both Governments to translating their political goodwill into tangible economic and commercial outcomes that will benefit the peoples of both countries.
During the discussions, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam highlighted the importance of strengthening the legal and institutional framework governing bilateral cooperation. He called for the early conclusion and effective implementation of key bilateral instruments, including Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Agreements on the Promotion and Protection of Investments, the Avoidance of Double Taxation, and other Cooperation Agreements designed to facilitate deeper engagement between both countries. He noted that these legal instruments would provide a stronger foundation for enhanced economic cooperation and create greater confidence for investors and businesses operating in both countries.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, in response, welcomed the positive trajectory of Nigeria-Vietnam relations and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening engagement with Vietnam across political, economic, commercial, and technical sectors. He emphasised that increased high-level exchanges and reciprocal official visits remain essential to strengthening bilateral ties. He expressed Nigeria’s readiness to undertake an official visit to Vietnam in the near future while welcoming ongoing discussions on the possibility of a future State Visit by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Vietnam.
The Minister of State further noted that Nigeria’s engagement with Vietnam aligns with the Federal Government’s principle of Strategic Autonomy, which seeks to expand mutually beneficial partnerships across all regions of the world based on national interest, mutual respect, and shared prosperity. He identified the textile and garment industry as one of the sectors offering immense opportunities for bilateral collaboration. Recalling Vietnam’s globally recognised success in textile manufacturing and exports, the Honourable Minister of State observed that Nigeria once possessed one of Africa’s largest textile industries and expressed the Federal Government’s desire to partner with Vietnam in revitalising the sector through investment, technology transfer, industrial cooperation and skills development. He also emphasised the importance of leveraging emerging multilateral platforms to foster closer economic cooperation, noting that both countries could benefit from enhanced collaboration within international economic frameworks, including engagements associated with BRICS partner initiatives and South-South cooperation.
The Honourable Minister of State further stressed that while Government-to-Government engagement remains essential in establishing policy direction and creating an enabling environment, the long-term success of bilateral relations depends on stronger participation by the private sector. He therefore called for closer collaboration between the organised private sectors of both countries, including their respective Chambers of Commerce and business communities, to stimulate investment, expand manufacturing partnerships, facilitate technology transfer, and promote greater commercial exchanges.
The visiting Deputy Foreign Minister had earlier led the Vietnam delegation for a comprehensive bilateral meeting with the Nigerian side that was led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, PhD, as part of ongoing efforts by both countries to deepen relations, expand economic cooperation, and strengthen collaboration on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Permanent Secretary commended the cordial relations that have developed between both countries over the past five decades through sustained bilateral engagement and cooperation within multilateral organisations. He expressed confidence that Nigeria and Vietnam stand to benefit immensely from deepening collaboration across priority sectors.
During the discussions, both sides reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and agreed on the need to intensify high-level exchanges and institutional consultations. They discussed preparations for future official visits and the proposed conclusion of an Agreement on Political Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries, with a view to convening the inaugural Political Consultation Session in Vietnam in 2027.
Ambassador Ahmed further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), recalling Nigeria’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) on 16 September 2021, which reflects Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful coexistence, regional cooperation and stronger relations with ASEAN Member States. The Permanent Secretary also reiterated Nigeria’s support for Vietnam’s greater engagement with Africa and welcomed stronger collaboration between the African Union (AU), ECOWAS and ASEAN in promoting peace, economic integration, sustainable development and multilateral cooperation.
Signed:
Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, anipr
Spokesperson
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja
Wednesday 1, July 2026
