By Ameh Gabriel
Abuja, September 8, 2025
The 5th Meeting of the Angola–Nigeria Bilateral Joint Commission will formally open on Tuesday, September 9, in Luanda, Angola, marking a renewed commitment by both countries to deepen cooperation across critical sectors and update key legal instruments guiding their partnership.
At the center of discussions will be the review of more than 20 Cooperation Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, with a focus on updating existing frameworks and introducing new instruments to enhance collaboration in defense and security, cyber and digital diplomacy, trade and economy, judicial cooperation, culture, air and maritime transport, telecommunications, tourism, and visa exemption.
The delegations will be led by His Excellency Domingos Vieira Lopes, Secretary of State for International Cooperation of Angola’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), and Her Excellency Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Angola’s Ambassador to Nigeria, José Bamóquina Zau, described the relaunch as a “turning point” in bilateral relations, stressing the urgency of unlocking the vast but underutilized trade potential between the two countries.
“Since 2001, the work of this commission has been interrupted, and we are very excited to relaunch this cooperation with a focus on hydrocarbons and petrochemicals, agribusiness, tourism, information technologies, innovation, and the blue economy. These initiatives will generate investments, create youth employment, and boost companies in both countries,” he stated.
On the sidelines of the Commission, two Twinning Agreements will be signed—linking Angola’s provinces of Bengo and Namibe with Nigeria’s states of Nasarawa and Bayelsa, respectively—with the participation of their governors.
In addition, the Angola Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX) and the Angola–Nigeria Business Council (ANBC) will strengthen ties to encourage private sector partnerships and guarantee stronger channels for bilateral investment.
Despite decades of diplomatic goodwill, trade between the two countries remains relatively low. From 2020 to 2022, Angola exported goods worth US$5.6 million to Nigeria, while imports stood at US$16.8 million, leaving Angola with a negative trade balance of US$11.2 million. However, in February 2024, during the 2nd Angola–Nigeria Business Forum in Lagos, Nigerian investment intentions were estimated at US$5 billion, signaling a new era of opportunity.
Historic Cooperation
Nigeria has long been a strong ally of Angola, providing financial and political support before and after Angola’s independence in 1975. Both nations signed multiple agreements in defense, aviation, oil and gas, trade, and agriculture, with high-level exchanges reinforcing ties.
In 1977, President António Agostinho Neto of Angola visited Nigeria, where he was awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Lagos. The then Prime Minister of Angola, Lopo Ferreira do Nascimento, also made several visits to Nigeria to deepen cooperation. More recently, during the accreditation of Ambassador José Bamóquina Zau in October 2023, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to strengthen ties and fully explore the shared potential of both countries.
The 5th Angola–Nigeria Bilateral Joint Commission represents a fresh opportunity to reset and reinvigorate this longstanding partnership for the benefit of both nations and the wider African continent.
Institutional Communication and Press Services
Embassy of Angola in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Benin, Niger, and ECOWAS
Abuja, September 8, 2025
