Ishaq Ahmed, Abuja
Nigeria and South Africa have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the longstanding bonds of friendship, cooperation, and solidarity that have existed between the two countries.
This renewed move has culminated in the adoption and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations.
The Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, stated this at the signing of the MoU on Political Consultation with the South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Thandi Moraka, in Abuja.
The Political Consultations were co-chaired by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Thandi Moraka.
A key focus of the Political Consultations is to provide an opportunity to exchange views on regional peace and security, including developments in the West African and Southern African regions, as well as the need to promote the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
It further emphasised the importance of multilateral cooperation, reaffirming the shared commitment to the principles of the United Nations, the African Union, and other international organisations.
“Both sides agreed to continue supporting each other’s candidatures at various multilateral institutions and to work together in advancing common positions on global issues of mutual interest.”
The Political Consultations also provided an opportunity for both countries to review the level of implementation of the Agreed Minutes of the 11th Session of the Bi-National Commission and to identify areas requiring renewed focus to ensure the effective implementation of agreed decisions.
Investment
“The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, defence, energy, and people-to-people exchanges, and agreed to address challenges that hinder greater economic integration,” the Co-Chairs affirmed.
The communiqué indicated that the two countries have signed a partnership agreement aimed at boosting investment, sharing knowledge, and transferring technology between their mineral sectors.
In terms of the liberalisation of visa restrictions, it was noted that “both countries are in the process of adopting simplified visa processes for business people to remedy persisting visa-related challenges.”
Nigeria and South Africa acknowledged that cultural exchanges between the two countries remain strong.
The two African nations have been cooperating in the film industry through an official Audio-Visual Cooperation Agreement signed in 2021. This agreement facilitates co-production, skills transfer, investment, and joint promotion of their audio-visual sectors.
The two countries also discussed the MoU on Standards and Standardisation between the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the South African Bureau of Standards, which could not be signed in Cape Town during the Bi-National Commission held in 2024.
Furthermore, Nigeria and South Africa noted that the Joint Ministerial Advisory Council on Industry, Trade, and Investment has not met as directed by the 11th Bi-National Commission and urged that this important structure be convened urgently before the end of 2025 to finalise its draft Terms of Reference.
In this regard, “Nigeria and South Africa should work towards the operationalisation of the Joint Ministerial Advisory Council on Industry, Trade, and Investment.”
Migration and Security
The two ministers welcomed the finalisation of the MoU on the Early Warning Mechanism, describing it as a transformative tool for addressing consular and migration issues.
They emphasised the need for effective implementation of the MoU, as it remains crucial in strengthening coordination, streamlining the movement of people and goods between the two countries, and contributing to social, cultural, technical, scientific, tourism, and private sector growth.
The meeting commended the work of the Defence and Security Working Group, which convened the 6th Session of the Defence Committee in Abuja from 1–5 September 2025 to review progress on the implementation of the 11th BNC decisions.
The Co-Chairs encouraged other Working Groups to intensify efforts to ensure the timely execution of all agreed decisions.
“Nigeria and South Africa have expressed commitment to holding regular Political Consultations for continued bilateral engagements.”
The Co-Chairs acknowledged the work underway in preparation for the G20 Africa Outreach Meeting on Industrialisation and Agriculture, which will be hosted in Abuja on November 3, 2025.
This meeting will amplify Africa’s perspectives on industrialisation, sustainable agriculture, and value-chain development within the global economic agenda.