Germany hails Nigeria for ‘resisting terrorism’, seeks partnership on energy transition

Nigeria and Germany have committed to deepening relations in the areas of climate change mitigation and energy transition. 

Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, and Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, announced this on Tuesday at a meeting in Abuja.

Onyeama said securing collaborations on climate change issues, energy, economy, and insecurity are some of Nigeria’s interests.

“Regarding energy transition, it is something that we want to see the transition away from fossil fuel by 2060,” he said.

“Hydrogen, of course, is one of the options and strategies that are still in place, and we are very open to engaging with our partners such as Germany to further develop this.

“We have fully committed to climate action and it is a whole of government approach. We have strong economic cooperation between our two countries, and as a country that is an oil and gas producing country, we have tried as a government to diversify our economy.”

On her part, Baerbock said there are many ways Nigeria, Germany, the European Union (EU), and African Union (AU) can strengthen collaborations.

She commended Nigeria’s effort in managing insurgency, adding that the EU will need Africa’s support in the face of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

“We are really appreciative of how your government has supported us. We went to Borno state to see first- hand what that part of your society has been through within the last year, but also, how you resisted terrorism and how you rebuilt the areas which had been taken by Boko Haram and others,” NAN quoted Baerbock as saying.

“So, we really applaud your engagement for the security of the people.

“We as the European Union have asked you as Nigeria, African countries to stand at our side when our peace order is under check and this is why we also engage with you.

“When you have asked us to support you while your stability has been threatened, we stand at your side. And for us, this is what I would like to underline with this visit and also a follow-up from my deputy minister, that we really would like to invest in our cooperation and friendship.

“Partners are only true partners if they stand with you in difficult times. You are facing different challenges with regards to terrorism, but also with regards to climate crisis effects, the horrible numbers we had in the end of October with the flooding, people dying, and also the millions who have been displaced.

“This is a big challenge, but it also shows that we can face these challenges only together if we cooperate. We would like to develop our strategic partnership deeper with your government, with your country. We would like to increase our engagements in the stabilisation subject.

“In Nigeria, you have rich value over fossil resources and these are some of the things we would like to discuss so that you can get it right and not make the mistakes we made.”