Nigeria, Russia Deepen Economic Ties Through BRICS Women’s Business Alliance
Nigeria, Russia Deepen Economic Ties Through BRICS Women’s Business Alliance
Nigeria and Russia are set to expand their long-standing relationship into new frontiers of trade, investment, and women-led enterprise through the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA).
This was revealed on Tuesday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during an interactive stakeholders’ session with the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance at the State House Banquet Hall.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the meeting as a timely platform to strengthen bilateral cooperation, saying Nigeria and Russia’s decades-old friendship across education, defence, energy, technology, and diplomacy must now evolve to address the demands of the future.
She noted that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, anchored on the 4-Ds foreign policy approach—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—aligns with the mission of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, particularly in the areas of inclusive growth, youth empowerment, and global partnerships.
Lauding First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for hosting the event, the minister hailed her as a shining example of the transformative power of women in shaping societies. She praised the First Lady’s initiatives on women’s empowerment, girl-child education, and support systems for female entrepreneurs under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Her leadership continues to inspire Nigerian women to break barriers, embrace innovation, and contribute more actively to national progress,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
Welcoming the Russian delegation led by Ms. Anna Nesterova, Chairperson of the WBA, she emphasized that Nigeria’s vast market, natural resources, and youthful population—when combined with Russia’s technological and industrial expertise—offer fertile ground for partnerships in agriculture, energy, digital innovation, and education.
She stressed that the gathering must go beyond symbolism, serving as a springboard for joint ventures, strategic frameworks, and stronger networks between Nigerian and Russian women entrepreneurs.
“By facilitating access to finance, knowledge, and markets, we can strengthen the economic pillars of both our nations,” she stated, pointing to opportunities in agro-processing, creative industries, SMEs, and technology-driven businesses.
The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen ties with Russia through the BRICS platform, promising inclusive, people-centered prosperity and a roadmap for stronger bilateral relations that will uplift citizens of both nations.
The session was attended by government officials, women entrepreneurs, and representatives of the private sector, all committed to forging actionable outcomes from the renewed partnership.