Otamere Gladness 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria and Spain move to deepen diplomatic and economic relations as Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar engages his Spanish counterpart in high-level talks in Madrid.
Tuggar meets Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, during a breakfast meeting held on Thursday on the sidelines of Spain’s annual ambassadors’ conference, where the Nigerian minister is invited as a guest speaker.
The discussions focus on strengthening cooperation in security, migration management and economic development, particularly across West Africa. “Strengthening cooperation with European partners remains important to advancing Nigeria’s security, migration and economic priorities,” Tuggar says.
He explains that the meeting aligns with Spain’s renewed Africa Strategy and Nigeria’s regional leadership role.
“In this context, I held a breakfast meeting with my Spanish counterpart, José Manuel Albares,” Tuggar adds. “We discussed security, migration, deepening economic partnership, and engaging Spain’s Africa Strategy, with a shared focus on practical cooperation across West Africa.”
The engagement underscores Spain’s growing interest in Africa and Nigeria’s strategic importance in regional stability, particularly in the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea.
Diplomatic sources say both countries are seeking tangible outcomes that build on existing bilateral frameworks, including trade, security coordination and migration governance.
The talks also reinforce Nigeria’s broader foreign policy objective of diversifying international partnerships while addressing shared global challenges.
Observers say the meeting reflects a pragmatic shift toward results-driven diplomacy between Nigeria and European partners amid evolving geopolitical and economic realities.
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Korede Abdullah 
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius