The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Niger have agreed to establish a Joint Consultative Forum as part of renewed efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen collaboration across key sectors.
This decision was announced in a joint communiqué issued at the conclusion of an official working visit to Niamey by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON). He was hosted by his Nigerien counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Bakary Yaou Sangaré, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Nigerians Abroad, in an atmosphere described as reflecting the “spirit of brotherhood that characterizes the warm and friendly relations that have always existed between the peoples of the two countries.”
The proposed Joint Consultative Forum will bring together relevant stakeholders from both nations to address shared challenges and harness opportunities for mutual benefit. According to the communiqué, the Forum is expected to “serve as a platform for dialogue and cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, security, infrastructure, migration, agriculture, and new technologies.”
This move comes amid broader efforts to reinvigorate the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission (NNJC) and reinforce cooperation on strategic cross-border projects such as the Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi railway, the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, and Fiber Optic and Highway projects, among others.
The communiqué stated: “The two Ministers of Foreign Affairs expressed the need to set up a Joint Consultative Forum that will bring together all relevant stakeholders of both countries to address their common challenges and explore further opportunities for the benefit of their citizens.”
Both sides also underscored the importance of continued engagement through regular meetings of expert committees, the Council of Ministers, and the High Authority of the Joint Commission. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to “raising bilateral cooperation to the level of their ambitions and the legitimate expectations of their respective peoples, who aspire to peace, security, and development.”