Nigeria, Algeria Deepen Commitment to Stronger Bilateral Relations
Oru Leonard
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and advancing strategic partnership in key sectors including security, trade, infrastructure, education, and regional integration.
This was disclosed during a courtesy visit by the Algerian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Hocine Mezoued, to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Abuja.
During the meeting, Ambassador Mezoued described Nigeria and Algeria as longstanding partners united by shared African values and a common commitment to peace, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and continental development. He noted that both countries have sustained strong diplomatic engagements and policy coordination within regional and multilateral platforms, particularly the African Union and the United Nations.
The Algerian envoy highlighted ongoing collaboration in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, education, parliamentary relations, military cooperation, and trade. He announced that the Third Meeting of the Steering Committee on the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project would hold on June 3 and 4, 2026, with participation from ministers of Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger.
He further revealed that Air Algeria was studying the possibility of extending its operations to Lagos following the successful commencement of the Algiers-Abuja route in April 2025. According to him, the expansion is expected to boost connectivity, trade, tourism, and people-to-people relations between both countries.
In the area of education and human capital development, Ambassador Mezoued disclosed that Algeria had expanded scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students in higher education, vocational, and technical training programmes, with over 130 Nigerian students benefitting between 2025 and 2026.
The Ambassador also highlighted growing parliamentary and military cooperation between the two countries, including the establishment of the Nigeria-Algeria Parliamentary Friendship Group in March 2025 and ongoing military study exchanges. He added that an Algerian Navy delegation would participate in activities marking the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Nigerian Navy scheduled for June 1 to 4, 2026, in Lagos.
Speaking on future engagements, the envoy stressed the importance of convening the next session of the Nigeria-Algeria High Bilateral Cooperation Commission, expected to take place in Algeria later in 2026. He also called for the revitalisation of the Political Consultation Mechanism at the Permanent Secretary level to strengthen policy coordination.
In her response, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu commended the Algerian Ambassador for his efforts in deepening bilateral relations and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustaining over six decades of diplomatic ties with Algeria.
The Foreign Affairs Minister underscored the strategic significance of Nigeria-Algeria cooperation in areas such as peace and security, humanitarian affairs, infrastructure development, economic integration, and intra-African trade. She reiterated Nigeria’s support for the Trans-Saharan Highway and related regional connectivity initiatives, describing them as vital to continental integration and economic growth under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
She also appreciated Algeria’s continued educational support for Nigerian students and praised the parliamentary and military exchange programmes as important platforms for strengthening institutional cooperation and mutual understanding.
Both sides agreed on the need to fast-track the implementation of existing bilateral agreements and prioritise pending cooperation frameworks ahead of the forthcoming session of the Bi-National Cooperation Commission.
(MFA Media)
