Nigeria and Israel have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in security and defence, agriculture, technology, healthcare and trade. The commitment was renewed during the valedictory visit of the outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Abuja.
The minister commended Freeman for strengthening relations between both countries during his tenure and pledged Nigeria’s readiness to expand collaboration in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, border security, security financing and capacity building. She also stressed the importance of stronger partnerships between Nigerian startups and Israeli technology firms, as well as leveraging Israeli expertise to improve water management and agricultural productivity.
Describing Nigeria as an “amazing country” with warm and welcoming people, the envoy said sustained engagement remained essential to unlocking the full potential of the relationship between both nations. Freeman reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in innovation, agriculture, healthcare, education, skills development and security, while expressing optimism that bilateral trade, currently valued at about $200 million annually, would grow significantly in the coming years.
