The foreign ministers of Russia and Nigeria held talks in Moscow on Wednesday where they discussed future relations between the two countries.
Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, told his Nigerian counterpart, Yusuf Tuggar, that Moscow sees Nigeria as a priority partner on the African continent.
“The relationship will continue to grow. We feel that we are in a right position to have a very strong strategic relationship with Russia,” he said.
Lavrov also said Moscow would continue to provide assistance to the countries in the Sahara-Sahel region in order to increase their combat capability.
The cross-border region which includes Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, and Guinea, has been plagued by political instability for years.
In the last decade, jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have been growing in power and influence in the region.
“Russia will provide assistance to countries of the region in increasing the combat capability of their national armed forces, security forces, and law enforcement authorities, in order to counter the threats that persist,” said Lavrov.
In a post on X Tuggar said his meeting with Lavrov further strengthened the bilateral relations between Russia and Nigeria, especially in the areas of economic growth and regional stability.
Tuggar also said the lifting of sanctions on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger by Russia underscored its commitment to supporting regional security efforts, including those led by West African bloc, ECOWAS.
As Russia faces criticism over its war in Ukraine, its attempting to increase its influence in the global south. A meeting with African foreign ministers is due to take place in Sochi later this year.
