UNGA 2025: Nigeria to deepen ties with Namibia  

The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Namibia have reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of both nations.

This was the outcome of a courtesy visit by the President of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, to Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Reports indicate that Vice President Kashim Shettima is representing President Bola Tinubu at the global forum and will deliver Nigeria’s national statement on his behalf.

During the meeting, Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia’s first female President who assumed office on March 21, acknowledged Nigeria’s historic role in supporting her country even before its independence. She also commended the contributions of Nigerian diplomats to Namibia’s governance and national development.

The Namibian leader explained that she found it fitting to use the UNGA platform to engage with Vice President Shettima.

“I will still find time to visit Nigeria, to formally introduce myself to President Tinubu,” she said.

In his response, Shettima thanked Nandi-Ndaitwah for the courtesy visit and extended best wishes for her administration. He emphasized the need to elevate Nigeria-Namibia relations to greater heights in the years ahead.

The meeting was attended by top diplomats and senior government officials from both sides, including Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; and Minister of State for Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa.

In a related engagement, Vice President Shettima also met with a high-level delegation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mark Suzman.

The Vice President praised the foundation’s longstanding contribution to Nigeria’s health sector and called for additional investment to expand its impact. He highlighted its interventions in agriculture, particularly cassava production, as well as initiatives in financial inclusion and gender empowerment.

According to him, entrepreneurial capitalism is deeply ingrained in the Nigerian spirit, making the Gates Foundation a trusted partner.

“If all high-net-worth individuals could make even half of Bill Gates’ level of investments, the world would be a much better place,” Shettima remarked.

He further disclosed that the Tinubu administration aims to achieve annual economic growth of no less than seven percent in the coming years. This, he said, would be driven by macroeconomic stability, improved productivity, and targeted investments in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and education.

Shettima also asked the delegation to convey President Tinubu’s warm regards to Mr. Bill Gates.

On his part, Minister of State for Education, Dr. Alausa, sought stronger support from the foundation in the education sector, particularly in technical training, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

“I have met with your representatives in Africa, and they explained that the foundation’s earlier focus was on child health and nutrition rather than education. But now there appears to be more emphasis on education. We seek more of your support in foundational education, where assistance has so far been limited,” he said.

In his remarks, Suzman reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to strengthening human capital development in Nigeria. He highlighted ongoing progress in digital identity and financial inclusion, describing Nigeria as one of the foundation’s strongest partners on the continent.

“I look forward to hearing from you about where we can be more helpful, and I assure you of our continued support. We just signed a new grant with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support some of the work around financial inclusion, and we are encouraged by your broader reform efforts,” he stated.

Other members of the Gates Foundation delegation included Mr. Rodger Voorhies, President of Global Growth and Opportunity; Mr. Uche Amaonwu, Director of the Nigeria Country Office, Global Development; and Dr. Paulin Basinga, Director for Africa.