Nigeria and Russia have pledged to strengthen bilateral relations by leveraging the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) as a platform for inclusive economic growth and innovation.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the announcement on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ interactive session in Abuja, held during the visit of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the meeting came at a pivotal moment, offering both countries an opportunity to expand cooperation beyond traditional sectors.
“Although Nigeria and Russia share decades of friendship in education, defence, energy, and diplomacy, the present moment demands that both nations look boldly into the future,” she said.
She highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the administration’s 4-Ds foreign policy — Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora — as guiding principles that align with the mission of the BRICS WBA, especially in driving youth empowerment and inclusive growth.
The minister commended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for hosting the event, describing her as “an excellent example of the transformative power of women in shaping societies and building bridges across nations.”
Welcoming the Russian delegation led by Chairperson Anna Nesterova, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria’s vast market and youthful population, paired with Russia’s technological and industrial strengths, present opportunities for “win-win partnerships.”
She identified agriculture, energy, digital innovation, and education as key areas for collaboration, stressing that women entrepreneurs must play a central role to ensure sustainable and people-focused outcomes.
“This session offers an invaluable opportunity to explore strategic cooperation — from joint ventures to building enduring networks between Nigerian and Russian women entrepreneurs,” she added.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further listed agro-processing, creative industries, small and medium enterprises, and technology-driven businesses as immediate areas of opportunity.
Concluding, she affirmed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen ties with Russia through the BRICS platform: “We are confident that today’s discussions will provide a road map for stronger bilateral relations, deeper people-to-people connections, and new opportunities that will uplift the lives of our citizens.”
