Angola, Nigeria to revive bilateral cooperation at 5th joint commission meeting in Luanda  

The 5th Meeting of the Angola-Nigeria Bilateral Joint Commission will begin on Tuesday in Luanda, with both countries set to review and update more than 20 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding.

The discussions will focus on addressing major economic challenges and expanding collaboration in multiple sectors.

The Angolan delegation will be led by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Domingos Vieira Lopes, while Nigeria will be represented by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

According to Angola’s Ambassador to Nigeria, José Bamóquina Zau, the meeting marks a turning point in relations between the two nations.

He highlighted plans to promote stronger cooperation through free trade, visa waivers, double taxation agreements, extradition frameworks, and enhanced maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Since 2001, the work of this commission has been interrupted, and we are very excited to relaunch cooperation with a focus on hydrocarbons, petrochemicals, agribusiness, tourism, ICT, innovation, and the blue economy to create jobs and boost businesses in both countries,” Bamóquina Zau said.

On the sidelines of the talks, twinning agreements will be signed between Angola’s Bengo and Namibe provinces and Nigeria’s Nasarawa and Bayelsa states.

In addition, Angola’s Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX) and the Angola-Nigeria Business Council (ANBC) will deepen collaboration to attract private-sector investments.

Despite their shared potential, trade between Angola and Nigeria remains underdeveloped. From 2020 to 2022, Angola exported goods worth $5.6 million to Nigeria while importing $16.8 million, leaving a trade deficit of $11.2 million.

However, Nigerian investment intentions, valued at an estimated $5 billion, were recorded during the 2nd Angola-Nigeria Business Forum held in Lagos in February 2024.

The partnership between both countries has deep historical roots.

Nigeria played a key role in Angola’s independence struggle and, after independence in 1975, signed several agreements in defense, aviation, energy, and agribusiness.

High-level visits followed, including President António Agostinho Neto’s 1977 trip to Nigeria, during which he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lagos.

In October 2023, while receiving Angola’s new ambassador, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and maximizing untapped opportunities in both economies.