Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Canadian Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, have agreed on the need for deepening bilateral relations between Nigeria and Canada.
This was the highlight of the meeting which focused on improving trade, deepening ongoing educational collaboration, and continuing dialogue on the global energy transition issues and climate change between both leaders in Ottawa, the capital of the North American country yesterday.
Prof. Osinbajo said “we are hoping for much more that we can do together” during his interaction with top Canadian parliamentarians, including senators and cabinet members led by Freeland.
The Canadian Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the nation’s Finance Minister, had earlier expressed similar sentiments while welcoming the Vice President.
She observed that the Canadian government values its relationship with Africa, especially Nigeria, and has been “looking forward to this visit for a long time,” adding that the relationship with Nigeria is “very important to us.”
On the global net zero emissions targets, and energy transition, Vice President Osinbajo reaffirmed the view that gas ought to be adopted as a transition fuel, a notion he said garnered traction at the recent COP27 conference in Egypt, even though still widely unacknowledged in the West.
Responding, the Canadian Deputy Prime Minister, who wondered whether countries such as Nigeria are already struggling to get financing for gas projects said, “we will be happy to keep talking with you on that, ” adding that the use of Natural Gas makes sense, and noting that the dialogue should continue.
Laolu Akande, the Vice President’s spokesman, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said both leaders also discussed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), observing that the market provided opportunities for mutual benefits, not only for African countries, but also Canada which is desirous of contributing to its development and also tapping into the continental market.
