Seville, Spain – Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has championed financial inclusion and sustainable development on the global stage, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville.
In his national statement, Minister Tuggar underscored Nigeria’s dedication to economic empowerment, particularly through strengthening its development finance institutions. He highlighted strategic efforts to enhance the capacity of bodies such as the Bank of Industry and Bank of Agriculture, with a view to bolstering support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), especially those led by women and young entrepreneurs.
Beyond the main conference proceedings, Minister Tuggar delivered the keynote address at the launch of the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), where he reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to green financing initiatives and the broader Sustainable Development Goals.
The Minister also engaged in a series of high-level bilateral discussions aimed at fortifying Nigeria’s international collaborations. During a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), talks focused on deepening cooperation to stimulate job creation and foster SME growth within Nigeria. Both parties reportedly reached an agreement in principle to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate interest-free loans and comprehensive support for small businesses.
In a separate engagement, Minister Tuggar met with Sweden’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs. Here, he sought Swedish technical expertise to aid in the implementation of Nigeria’s recently enacted tax reform policy. The Minister also requested Sweden’s reciprocal support for Nigeria’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2030–2031 term.
These diplomatic efforts, as outlined by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister, underscore Nigeria’s proactive approach to international relations and its steadfast commitment to establishing inclusive and sustainable economic pathways for its population.
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