Colombia’s Vice-President, Francia Márquez, in Saturday landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, kicking off a three-day official visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and strategic ties between Nigeria and Colombia.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the visit is poised to foster collaboration in critical sectors such as governance, trade, agriculture, energy, education, security, and culture.
“This visit marks a significant step in deepening South-South cooperation, opening new avenues for mutual growth,” a senior Nigerian official noted.
Accompanied by her spouse, Rafael Ocoró, and a delegation of Colombian cabinet ministers, top government officials, and business leaders, Márquez was warmly received by Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, alongside Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmood, and NEMA Director-General, Zubaida Umar, among others.
A cornerstone of the visit includes the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in key economic areas such as women’s empowerment, trade, aviation, manufacturing, agriculture, and culture. “These agreements will lay the foundation for transformative partnerships,” said a source close to the discussions.
The itinerary features a plenary session attended by both Vice-Presidents, a Nigeria-Colombia Business Forum, and government-to-government bilateral meetings.
Additional highlights include high-level business engagements hosted by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and a Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), signaling a forward-looking agenda to boost innovation and economic ties between the two nations.
