The Delegation in Nigeria joined other EU Delegations across the world to mark 2025 Europe Day on May 9. Ambassadors of all the 19 EU Member States with diplomatic representation in Abuja joined Ambassador Gautier Mignot on stage to toast a unique partnership that has delivered peace and prosperity as well as solidarity within Europe and across the globe. 

In attendance at the event, which marked the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, were hundreds of partners, EU citizens and friends of Europe. The Nigerian Government was fully represented, with the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, and Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imam Suleiman Ibrahim, and Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, gracing the occasion. The Delegation has lined up month-long activities to mark the anniversary. 

It has been a time to proudly remind the EU's achievements during these 75 years and to, together with our partners, reaffirm the strength of the EU partnership with Nigeria and with ECOWAS, within the   wider context of EU-Africa Partnership. Ambassador Mignot recalled that the Schuman declaration explicitly envisaged a Europe committed to support the development of the African continent. 

“75 years later, the EU and its now 27 Member States remain faithful to these commitments for peace, free and fair trade and sustainable development, especially for Africa. The EU is staying its course, with a renewed effort for competitiveness, strategic autonomy and strong partnerships around the globe,” he noted.

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Underlining that the EU-Nigeria partnership is founded on shared values and aspirations, Ambassador Mignot noted that “Europeans and Nigerians share this dream of a better world, a rules-based world, more prosperous, more sustainable, more equal, reflecting the realities and needs of the 21st century.” For this dream to come true, he stated, “we need to work together and you, Nigerians, have a major role to play in Africa and in the world.” 

Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, that the partnership and values that Nigeria and the EU had shared had helped in addressing restiveness in parts of the country, in particular the Northeast and the Niger Delta. “Today is not just the affirmation of values that transcends border, peace, solidarity, mutual respect and partnership for sustainable development. “These are values which the EU has championed and which Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and democracy, both shares,” he said.

He noted that over 60 years, the relationship between the EU and Nigeria has flourished in depth and breadth, from trade, investment to governance reforms, public health, education, digital economy and climate action.

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