Nigeria, Canada to improve bilateral relations on trade, energy transition

Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Nigeria and the Canadian government are set to deepen bilateral relations on energy transition, trade, climate change and education.

This was agreed upon at a meeting between Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Chrystia Freeland, Canadian deputy prime minister, on Monday in Ottawa, Canada’s capital.

Peoples Daily had reported that Osinbajo departed Nigeria on Sunday for a three-day official visit to the north American country.

In a statement by Laolu Akande, the vice-president’s spokesperson, Osinbajo told Canadian leaders including senators, parliamentarians and cabinet members that Nigeria hopes to find more avenues to collaborate with Canada.

Speaking about climate change and the global energy transition, he reiterated the point that gas needs to be adopted as transition fuel.

However, he added that the federal government’s energy transition plan is focused on renewable energy, including the ongoing ‘solar power naija’ programme, launched under the economic sustainability plan.

“We believe we must use our gas as transition fuel; we have huge gas reserves. We would like to continue to use our gas during the transition,” Osinbajo said.

Responding, Freeland, who is also Canada’s finance minister, said the country has been “looking forward to this visit for a long time,” adding that a relationship with Nigeria was important.

She said the agenda to use gas as a transition fuel was a conversation that Canada intends to continue having going forward because the use of natural gas is sensible.

The statement added that Osinbajo and Freeland also discussed the common and peculiar economic challenges of both countries, including fiscal and monetary challenges, subsidies, financial inclusion, social investments programmes, and strategies to support the vulnerable.

They further discussed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with the view that the market provides opportunities for mutual benefits, not only for African countries, but also for Canada which hopes it will contribute to its development and also tap into the continental market.