Nigeria has called for a new model of engagement between Africa and the rest of the world, anchored on national sovereignty, strategic autonomy, domestic resource mobilisation and investment in bankable infrastructure projects.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, made the call at the Berlin Global Dialogue 2026 in Germany, where he participated in a high-level panel on “Foreign Policy by Other Means: Trade, Technology, and Geopolitical Power” and a policy lab on infrastructure and investment.
According to a statement by Raphael Oni, Special Assistant on Digital Media and Public Diplomacy to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Enikanolaiye said Africa is determined to shape its development priorities through partnerships founded on mutual respect, shared prosperity, and commitment to the continent’s interests.
“Africa has come to this conversation with great assets, substantial opportunities and a determination to shape its own development based on partnership with the rest of the world,” he stated.
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Enikanolaiye noted that international diplomacy was shifting from rigid political alliances to more pragmatic, transaction-focused engagements.
He cited a recent policy lab organised in Abuja by a foreign embassy, with the participation of an adviser to President Bola Tinubu, as an example of the emerging approach.
Addressing the relationship between foreign policy, business and strategic autonomy, the minister traced the historical connections between commerce and diplomacy, from the Royal Niger Company to multinational corporations operating in Africa after independence.
He said the continent’s marginalisation in the global economic system underscored the need to mobilise domestic resources and strengthen indigenous enterprise.
Citing Aliko Dangote’s public investment offer, which he said attracted subscriptions from more than 52 countries, Enikanolaiye stressed that foreign investment should complement rather than replace domestic capital.
“Foreign capital can only complement but cannot replace the kind of resources that we need,” he said.
The Minister explained that the government’s responsibility was to create an enabling environment for private enterprise to thrive, citing Nigeria’s stabilising role through the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia and Sierra Leone as an example of how regional security could support economic expansion.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strategic autonomy amid intensifying competition among global powers.
“It allows us a space of action regardless of ideology or political complexion of the various blocs to advance our own national interest, including those of Nigerian companies,” he said.
On mineral resources, Enikanolaiye called for an end to the extractive model that leaves African countries exporting raw materials without capturing sufficient value from processing and manufacturing.
He said the Nigerian Government was promoting local processing industries and strengthening oversight to protect the environment and host communities.
“We learned from our experience in the Niger Delta. We are now doing things differently to give rights to local communities where minerals are found,” he stated.
Infrastructure Financing
On infrastructure financing, the minister identified reliable electricity, efficient intermodal transport and expanded digital connectivity as critical to increasing production, attracting investment and creating opportunities for Africa’s growing youth population.
He also highlighted electricity metering and improved revenue collection as investment opportunities in the power sector.
According to him, attracting sustainable investment requires well-prepared projects, predictable regulations, transparent procurement processes and credible risk-sharing mechanisms.
He identified the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), African Development Bank, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), and the newly established African Credit Rating Agency in Mauritius as important institutions in providing guarantees and blended-finance solutions.
Economic Integration
On regional economic integration, he cited Africa’s average economic growth of 4.3 per cent and its ambition to achieve seven per cent growth, alongside progress towards the ECO currency, Nigeria’s single-window trade system and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), launched in January 2026, as important developments.
He said these initiatives, alongside the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), could help increase intra-African trade, which he put at 16 per cent.
He also stressed the importance of developing technical skills, reviewing educational curricula to meet industry needs and leveraging diaspora remittances as official development assistance declines.
Enikanolaiye identified Nigeria’s ongoing business-environment reforms and China’s approach to infrastructure cooperation, which he described as non-conditional, as additional considerations in discussions on financing Africa’s development.
He also linked the continent’s artificial intelligence ambitions to the availability of reliable electricity, noting that technological advancement would require stronger energy infrastructure.
The minister concluded by urging African countries to mobilise long-term capital while maintaining fiscal discipline, transparency, democracy and respect for the rule of law.
Bilateral Engagement
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s delegation held bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the dialogue at Nigeria House in Berlin on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
The delegation was led by Enikanolaiye and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
In one of the engagements, Enikanolaiye and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Senator Ita Enang, met with Lesotho’s Foreign Minister, Limpho Justice Tau, to explore opportunities for strengthening bilateral relations.
The discussions included the possibility of establishing a physical diplomatic presence for Lesotho in Abuja.
Tau commended Nigeria’s historic contribution to African liberation and invited Nigerian industrialists, including the Dangote Group, to explore investment opportunities in Lesotho.
