NIGERIA, GERMANY SIGN €365M PARTNERSHIP DEAL TO BOOST ENERGY, AGRICULTURE, INVESTMENT
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Nigeria and Germany have signed a €365m development and investment partnership agreement aimed at supporting economic growth, energy expansion, agriculture, and private-sector development in Nigeria.
The agreement was signed on Thursday at the German Embassy in Abuja by Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, and senior German government officials.
According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the deal includes a €65m financial and technical cooperation commitment from Germany, alongside an additional €300m Export Credit Guarantee financing framework designed to mobilise investments and long-term funding for strategic projects in Nigeria.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite said the partnership reflects both countries’ commitment to improving living conditions and expanding sustainable economic opportunities.
“We recognise that development cooperation must increasingly catalyse investment, innovation, and sustainable financing. This partnership is therefore not merely procedural; it is a concrete affirmation of our shared commitment to improving our people’s lives,” she said.
Uzoka-Anite described the agreement as a reaffirmation of the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Germany, adding that both nations had agreed to deepen collaboration in critical sectors such as agricultural transformation, climate and energy transition, sustainable economic development, skills acquisition, healthcare, and peace-building initiatives.
She noted that the partnership aligns with Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms under President Bola Tinubu and would support the implementation of the country’s National Development Plan 2026–2030 and Agenda 2050 framework.
In her remarks, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, said the agreement followed extensive bilateral consultations involving officials from both countries, development institutions, and representatives of the European Union and diplomatic community.
Also speaking, Philip Knill, Deputy Director General of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, described Nigeria as “a giant in Africa” and an important strategic partner in regional economic integration, peace, and security.
Knill disclosed that German officials also met with Nigerian and German businesses during the visit to discuss opportunities in power, agriculture, digital economy, and industrial development.
He said major German companies, including Siemens, SAP, Bayer, and STIHL, are exploring investment opportunities in Nigeria’s industrialisation, digital transformation, energy, and agricultural mechanisation sectors.
Knill also commended Nigeria’s macroeconomic reforms, particularly foreign exchange liberalisation, tax reforms, and food security initiatives, saying they are important steps toward attracting long-term investments.
According to him, more than 16,000 small and medium-sized enterprises have already recorded income growth through existing Nigeria-Germany programmes, while around 600,000 smallholder farming households have benefited from agricultural training initiatives that improved productivity and incomes.
He further disclosed that over 70,000 Nigerians are currently benefiting from mini-grid energy projects supported under the partnership.
Knill reaffirmed Germany’s support for Nigeria’s Presidential Power Initiative through collaboration with Siemens to expand Nigeria’s electricity grid capacity to 25 gigawatts, a move expected to improve access to cleaner and more reliable electricity across the country.
Both countries concluded the ceremony by reaffirming their commitment to ensuring that the partnership translates into measurable development outcomes through stronger institutional cooperation, private-sector participation, and strategic investments.
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