Nigeria and Thailand have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in technology, agriculture, commerce, renewable energy and other strategic sectors, as both countries seek to expand economic and investment opportunities.
The commitment was reached on Wednesday when Vice President Kashim Shettima received a delegation from Thailand led by its Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Shettima, who spoke on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said Nigeria was seeking a strategic review of its existing relationship with Thailand to unlock greater opportunities beyond traditional areas of cooperation.
He said Thailand’s expertise in intermediate technology, particularly in agriculture, could help Nigeria improve productivity and strengthen local capacity.
“I believe that our relationship should go beyond transactions in crude oil, rice production and so on. So, there is a need for us to review our bilateral relationship at a strategic level,” Shettima said.
The Vice President identified agriculture, information and communications technology, renewable energy and solid minerals as sectors with significant potential for Thai investment.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s large consumer market, young population, workforce and abundant natural resources as key advantages for foreign investors.
Shettima urged Thailand to expand its business activities in Nigeria, describing the country as strategically positioned to serve as a gateway to the wider African market.
Speaking earlier, Phuangketkeow described Nigeria as a strategic partner for Thailand and an important gateway to West Africa.
He said Thailand was proposing a new Thailand-Africa Initiative aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, business relations and people-to-people exchanges with key African countries.
According to him, agriculture would be a major focus of the initiative, while Thailand also intends to explore cooperation with African countries in areas such as universal health coverage and tourism.
The Thai minister, who is making his first visit to Africa, described Nigeria as a strong voice in the Global South and an emerging leader in e-commerce.
“For us in Thailand, we believe that Nigeria is a strategic partner bilaterally and an important window to strengthening ties with Africa, particularly West Africa,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, Thailand’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Thirapath Mongkolnavin, and other senior officials from both countries.
The discussions are expected to provide a framework for expanding trade, investment and technical cooperation between Nigeria and Thailand while strengthening their broader partnership in Africa and Asia.
