NIGERIA AND THE COTE D’IVOIRE TO BOOST BILATERAL TIES
Oru Leonard
The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, had a successful bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and the Diaspora of Côte d’Ivoire, Her Excellency, Nialé Kaba, on the sidelines of the ongoing ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Thursday, 16 July 2026.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs appreciated the prompt response to the audience and commended the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries. He noted the need for increased collaboration and consultation between both countries as key players in the region and informed of the intention to strengthen bilateral engagements across West Africa to build and deepen cooperation to the benefit of our region.
Responding, the Ivorian Foreign Minister appreciated and congratulated Ambassador Enikanolaiye on his appointment. She aligned with the need for greater collaboration between the two countries as the stability of the region depends on the Nigeria – Côte d’Ivoire bilateral relations. The Ivorian Foreign Minister informed that she highlighted the need for cooperation while receiving Nigeria’s Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, who was recently appointed as Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations. She underscored the need to resuscitate the Nigeria-Côte d’Ivoire Bi-National Commission, the last session of which was held in 2021 in Abidjan.
It was agreed that both countries should work together to review existing agreements and levels of implementation while exploring new opportunities for cooperation. Both countries also committed to enhancing cooperation and collaboration across all sectors, both bilaterally and multilaterally, for the benefit of the citizens of the two countries and to advance the tenets of
regional prosperity, stability, and integration.
(MFA Press Thursday 16, July 2026)
