NIGERIA AND AUSTRALIA SEEK TO ELEVATE BILATERAL RELATIONS THROUGH PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY, ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC COOPERATION

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ABUJA

PRESS STATEMENT NO: MFA/PR/2026/258

NIGERIA AND AUSTRALIA SEEK TO ELEVATE BILATERAL RELATIONS THROUGH PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY, ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC COOPERATION

The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, received the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, the Honourable Milton Dick MP, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, on 28 September 2026.

During deliberations, Ambassador Enikanolaiye thanked the Honourable Speaker Dick for his visit, noting that distance couldn’t be a barrier for engagement between Nigeria and Australia, given their strong will, clear vision and shared commitment to take bilateral relations to higher pedestals.

The Honourable Minister of State acknowledged Australia’s historic support for Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Nations, at the time Nigeria was under military rule. He thanked Australia for accepting Nigeria’s High Commissioner, Ambassador Femi Pedro, who presented his Letters of Credence about a month ago, adding that the development would facilitate robust communication and exchanges between both countries.

He also thanked the Speaker for the congratulatory message extended to him. Speaking on Nigeria-Australia ties, Ambassador Enikanolaiye stated that relations between two countries had enormous untapped potential and urged the translation of cordial ties into structured economic partnerships capable of delivering tangible mutually beneficial benefits to both countries.

He identified critical minerals as an area with huge prospects for collaboration, emphasizing Nigeria’s interest in technology transfer, value addition and beneficiation.

Ambassador Enikanolaiye also highlighted the considerable scope for collaboration in livestock development and agriculture, noting Australia’s expertise in agro-processing and export-oriented livestock production as a valuable basis for cooperation in these areas.

The Honourable Minister of State underscored parliamentary diplomacy as a vital aspect of people-to-people ties and an important framework through which the interests and aspirations of Nigerians could be advanced. He further noted that beyond traditional diplomacy within the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, parliamentary diplomacy could be explored to further advance relations between Nigeria and Australia. Speaking earlier in the meeting, the Hon. Speaker Milton Dick described his visit to Nigeria as both a personal and an institutional privilege.

He recognized Nigeria as an emerging economic powerhouse and the most populous country in Africa, which had made tremendous progress in terms of economic transformation. He noted that Australia and Nigeria shared a lot in common in terms of parliamentary framework, commitment to democracy and diversity. He added that both countries continued to partner in areas of mutual interest, including climate adaptation and food security.

The Speaker informed of the Nigerian Parliamentary Friendship Group established to deepen legislative cooperation and expand institutional exchanges. He also described the Nigerian community in Australia as a respected group, contributing immensely to the development of the country.

In this regard, he underscored the importance of education in fostering people-to-people relations, promoting understanding and strengthening cultural ties between Nigeria and Australia. Speaking further, the Honourable Dick emphasized that expanding the current scope of economic cooperation between Nigeria and Australia, particularly through mutually beneficial partnerships in Nigeria’s mining sector, would be an important step towards further strengthening bilateral relations.

Both sides discussed the Speaker’s candidacy for the Presidency of the InterParliamentary Union (IPU), with the Honourable Dick sharing in broad terms, his vision of an inclusive and equitable IPU. They also touched on climate action, conflict resolution and prevention, and the challenge of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.

Both sides agreed on the importance of promotion democracy, with Ambassador Enikanolaiye underscoring the imperative of having democratic governance deliver socioeconomic well-being and human security as a way of nurturing and strengthening democratic systems.

Ambassador Enikanolaiye also linked migration with development. He urged that migration should not be criminalised but viewed in terms of its advantages to countries of origin and destination. The Honourable Minister of State reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to pursuing its foreign policy through strategic autonomy, maintaining constructive relations with all partners while remaining firmly guided by Nigeria’s national interests.

Speaker Dick also reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to respectful dialogue, multicultural inclusion and stronger engagement with African partners. Concluding the engagement, Ambassador Enikanolaiye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Australia across political, economic and social spheres. He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration would advance shared aspirations and mutual prosperity.

The visit of the Honourable Milton Dick MP reinforced the shared conviction that Nigeria and Australia are wellpositioned to build a more forward-looking partnership anchored on mutual respect, shared interests and strong commitment to international cooperation.

Signed:

Oluwafemi Adeniyi

Spokesperson

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Abuja Monday, 28 September 2026