By Yemi Akinsuyi
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, PhD, received in audience the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nigeria, Her Excellency Annett Günther, in a high-level diplomatic engagement focused on multilateral cooperation, economic collaboration, cultural heritage preservation, and institutional coordination.
Welcoming the German delegation, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustained and open diplomatic engagement with Germany.
He emphasized that Nigeria values continuous dialogue and remains receptive to constructive exchanges at all times, noting that the Ministry is ready to facilitate discussions on matters of mutual interest.
Ambassador Annett Günther, in her remarks, reiterated Germany’s appreciation for the strong bilateral relations between the countries. She highlighted the successful convening of the Nigeria–Germany Bi-National Commission in November 2025, describing it as a milestone that reaffirmed the strategic depth of bilateral cooperation.
According to Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, central focus of the discussion was reciprocal support in multilateral forums, particularly regarding candidacies to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Ambassador Günther recalled the 2024 exchange of notes on reciprocal backing and expressed appreciation for Nigeria’s principled support of Germany’s candidature. She underscored Germany’s longstanding advocacy for multilateralism, peace, and reform of the UN system, including increased African representation in both permanent and non-permanent roles on the Security Council.
The German Ambassador reaffirmed that Germany’s position aligns closely with Nigeria’s advocacy for equitable global governance structures and reiterated Berlin’s support for enhanced African participation in international decision-making processes.
The discussion also touched on cooperation in infrastructural development, such as energy transmission. She noted Germany’s continued interest in supporting Nigeria’s efforts to modernize its energy transmission and distribution infrastructure, an area identified during the recent presidential engagement as critical to Nigeria’s development. She expressed optimism that pending administrative processes would be finalized to facilitate the implementation of key energy projects supported by German investment and technical expertise.
In his response, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed acknowledged the importance of coordinated diplomatic engagement on multilateral matters. He assured the German Principal Envoy to Nigeria that relevant departments within the Ministry would review outstanding documentation and provide necessary clarifications regarding reciprocal arrangements and future support within the relevant multilateral framework.
The Permanent Secretary also acknowledged the importance of German partnership in Nigeria’s economic modernization agenda and reaffirmed Nigeria’s interest in advancing energy sector reforms, infrastructure resilience, and sustainable investment frameworks.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued security cooperation.
Ambassador Günther stated that Germany remains prepared to deepen engagement in capacity-building initiatives and other collaborative frameworks aimed at enhancing regional stability and countering shared security threats.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides reaffirming their shared dedication to multilateralism, economic cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and institutional coordination.
The engagement underscored the maturity and strategic depth of Nigeria–Germany relations, anchored on mutual respect, shared global responsibilities, and a commitment to advancing peace, development, and cultural heritage preservation within a rules-based international order.
