Egypt and Nigeria have taken significant steps to deepen their strategic partnership, reflecting a broader shift in African geopolitics as the continent grapples with rising influence from global powers, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty visiting Abuja on Monday where he delivered a message from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reaffirming Cairo’s commitment to bolstering ties with Nigeria both bilaterally and across the continent
As Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, Nigeria plays a pivotal role in regional security, trade, and political integration, while Egypt remains a diplomatic heavyweight in North Africa, seeking to align its interests with Abuja particularly in areas such as security cooperation, energy development, and combating terrorism
Discussions during the visit emphasised Nigeria’s leadership within ECOWAS and the potential synergies between the two countries within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), underscoring a shared ambition to promote economic integration and stability amid an increasingly complex international environment marked by strategic competition from China, Russia, the United States, and Turkey
Egypt’s role as a mediator in regional crises, including in the Sahel and Sudan, is set to be strengthened through partnerships with Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa to create a diplomatic axis focused on stabilising Africa’s most volatile zones while simultaneously expanding economic diplomacy through joint ventures in pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, and defence, with Egypt contributing its industrial expertise and Nigeria pursuing accelerated economic diversification
This renewed cooperation signals a decisive pivot in Egyptian foreign policy towards a more assertive engagement within pan-African frameworks, moving beyond historical alliances to embrace a vision of South-South cooperation that aims to reinforce Africa’s sovereignty and regional solidarity in a changing global order
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