Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez, yesterday, arrived in Abuja for a three-day official visit to Nigeria, a move expected to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation between the two nations.
Márquez’s delegation includes cabinet ministers, top government officials, and business leaders. She is also accompanied by her spouse, Mr Rafael Yerney Pinillo Ocoró. They were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by senior Nigerian officials led by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji.
Also at the airport were the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmud Bunkure; and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar.
Her visit, which runs from August 30 to September 2, marks one of the most high-profile diplomatic engagements between Nigeria and Colombia in recent years. It is expected to produce agreements across several strategic areas, including trade, agriculture, manufacturing, aviation, culture, women’s empowerment, and technology.
In a statement ahead of the visit, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, described the engagement as historic, noting that it would “strengthen ties in trade, agriculture, education, energy, culture, and women’s empowerment, opening a new chapter in South-South collaboration.”
According to the presidency, a number of Memoranda of Understanding will be signed during the visit, as both nations seek to broaden cooperation in governance, security, and economic development.
The programme will feature a joint plenary session between the two vice presidents, a Nigeria-Colombia Business Forum, bilateral meetings between government delegations, and sector-specific dialogues involving private sector leaders from both countries.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is expected to host high-level business interactions as part of efforts to promote greater trade and investment opportunities. A special summit on artificial intelligence (AI) has also been scheduled as part of the official itinerary, reflecting the importance of innovation and technology to the evolving partnership.
By the end of the visit on Tuesday, both countries are expected to issue a joint communiqué outlining specific areas of collaboration and agreements reached. Analysts note that the visit could open new opportunities for Nigeria in Latin America while positioning Colombia as a key partner for West Africa’s largest economy.
