The Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez, arrived in Abuja on Thursday for a three-day official visit to Nigeria.
She was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by senior government officials. Those present included the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar.
Márquez, who was accompanied by her spouse, Rafael Yerney Pinillo Ocoró, said the visit was aimed at strengthening diplomatic and strategic ties between Colombia and Nigeria. According to officials, the visit is expected to open new areas of cooperation in governance, trade, agriculture, energy, education, and security.
The Colombian Vice President is leading a delegation that includes cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and business leaders. They are scheduled to meet with their Nigerian counterparts for talks that will focus on advancing collaboration and deepening bilateral relations.
One of the major highlights of the visit will be the signing of Memoranda of Understanding across different sectors. These agreements will cover women empowerment, trade, aviation, manufacturing, agriculture, and culture.
The programme also features a plenary session that will be attended by both Vice Presidents. In addition, a Nigeria-Colombia Business Forum and bilateral meetings have been planned.
Officials confirmed that other side events will include high-level business engagements hosted by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as a summit on Artificial Intelligence.
Speaking on the visit, a senior Nigerian official noted that “this marks an important step in building stronger ties between both countries, with real opportunities in investment, technology, and security cooperation.”