The European Union and the Federal Government of Nigeria have formally opened negotiations for a bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, marking a major step toward stronger research collaboration, faster innovation, and deeper strategic cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.
The inception meeting took place at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology in Abuja. It signals a decisive move to build stronger innovation ecosystems, expand Nigerian participation in Horizon Europe, and align scientific cooperation with shared priorities for sustainable growth and economic transformation. The negotiations are coming ahead of the second EU–Nigeria Science and Innovation Day scheduled for 24 February 2026 in Lagos.
The proposed agreement reflects commitments made during the 2023 EU–Nigeria Strategic Dialogue and the 2024 EU–Nigeria Summit. It will also align with the AU–EU Innovation Agenda (2023–2033). The framework is expected to provide a long-term political and legal structure to assess past cooperation, strengthen institutional partnerships, and jointly define future actions.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, described the launch of negotiations as both historic and strategic.
“We are not starting from scratch. Our researchers already cooperate actively, particularly under Horizon Europe, the largest research and innovation programme in the world,” he said. “This agreement will provide the legal and political framework to accelerate and scale up our collaboration. It sends a strong signal that the European Union is committed to deepening its partnership with Nigeria in science, technology and innovation.”
Mignot added that the initiative reflects the Global Gateway approach of building sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships that support local capacity, strengthen knowledge systems, and deliver long-term development impact.
Nienke Buisman, Head of Cooperation for Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East at the European Commission and EU Chief Negotiator, explained that the framework is designed to be flexible and future-oriented.
“This is an overarching framework agreement between the European Union and Nigeria. It sets out the purpose, principles and forms of cooperation, while allowing priorities to evolve over time,” she said. “The framework distinguishes between direct cooperation, such as joint workshops, exchanges and studies, and indirect cooperation through participation in each other’s programmes. Predictability and trust are essential for long-term collaboration, particularly where knowledge creation and intellectual property are shared.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, described the negotiations as a defining moment for Nigeria’s research ecosystem.
“The historic significance of this agreement is clear. Nigeria is entering into a science and technology framework with the European Union at a time when innovation is central to our national development agenda,” he said. “This agreement will not gather dust. Its implementation will include a joint science and technical cooperation committee, and our commitment will be reflected in measurable outcomes and concrete actions.”
Nigeria’s Chief Negotiator, Tope Toogun, said the country would use the process to align international scientific cooperation with national development priorities and presidential reform objectives.
“In the coming weeks, we will refine the priority areas we wish to present, focusing on sectors that drive economic growth and national competitiveness,” he said.
Proposed areas of cooperation include agriculture and food security, public health, environmental sustainability and climate resilience, digital transformation, and space applications. Nigeria has also proposed joint activities to increase national participation in Horizon Europe, strengthen its research funding architecture, improve science and innovation indicators, and enhance technology foresight capacity.
EU–Nigeria cooperation in research and innovation has expanded steadily in recent years. Under Horizon Europe, 55 projects involving Nigerian entities have received approximately €20 million in funding across sectors such as health, agriculture, food systems, and the environment. Nigeria also participates in 12 projects under the Global Health EDCTP3 programme, attracting around €75 million in total investment. Fifteen Nigerian organisations are currently involved in these initiatives.
For Nigeria, the new agreement is expected to improve access to European research networks, strengthen institutional capacity, enhance the competitiveness of universities and innovators, and attract greater investment into science-driven solutions.
For the European Union, the partnership deepens engagement with Africa’s largest economy and one of its most dynamic innovation ecosystems. Nigeria’s youthful population, expanding research base, and rapidly growing technology sector provide strong potential for joint solutions to shared global challenges, including climate change, food security, health resilience, and digital inclusion.
The negotiations also support the Global Gateway objective of investing in knowledge, innovation, and human capital as critical infrastructure for sustainable development and economic opportunity.
Both sides have set an ambitious timeline to conclude discussions by the end of 2026 or early 2027. An action plan will be developed alongside the talks to enable early implementation in priority areas once the framework is signed.
With strong political backing and technical teams beginning detailed work, the negotiations place science, technology, and innovation at the centre of the broader EU–Nigeria partnership. The process marks the start of a strategic and long-term collaboration built on shared ambition, mutual benefit, and a common vision for innovation-led growth.
