The European Union, EU, delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has announced a €288 million funding package targeting critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, finance, migration, climate action, and digital public infrastructure.
The disclosure came during an EU-Nigeria ministerial briefing held in Abuja, where officials outlined fresh commitments under the evolving EU-Nigeria partnership framework.
According to Stefano Signore, director general for international partnerships at the European commission, the funding aligns with the bloc’s global gateway strategy, designed to boost investment flows and strengthen strategic sectors across partner countries.
“Though much has been done, more is expected to be delivered through the Global Gateway Strategies.
“Health and agriculture stand out in this respect as they join forces to improve standards, infrastructure, local manufacturing, and inclusion.
“We are also committing to stronger cooperation on sustainable migration by providing better life options to returnee migrants,” Signore said.
Earlier, Nigeria’s minister of budget and economic planning, Abubakar Bagudu, noted that the engagement builds on progress made during the 2023 EU-Nigeria strategic dialogue, which marked the formal rollout of the global gateway strategy in the country.
“This moment signals a deepening of ties and a shared commitment to a modern partnership anchored on mutual respect, shared prosperity, and sustainable investment,” he said.
Bagudu, who was represented by Doris Anite-Uzoka, minister of state for budget and economic planning, emphasized that the collaboration has shifted toward a more results-driven and investment-focused model.
“Our engagement has evolved toward a more investment-driven, result-oriented, and impact-focused framework that reflects both our ambitions and the realities of a rapidly changing global economy.
“Nigeria remains firmly committed to deepening this strategic relationship. Under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, we are implementing bold macroeconomic reforms to stabilize the economy, strengthen fiscal sustainability, and create an enabling environment for private-sector-led growth.
“These include efforts to improve revenue mobilisation, enhance transparency in public financial management, rationalize expenditures, and strengthen the efficiency of our foreign exchange market.”
A breakdown of the €288 million package shows targeted allocations across multiple sectors.
€23 million has been earmarked as grant support for Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure, while €108 million combines €22 million in grants and €86 million in loans to the federal government.
Additionally, €50 million has been committed through a lending facility to the Bank of Industry to support healthcare manufacturing initiatives. Another €5 million will fund training programmes in health, pharmaceuticals, and nutrition.
The agriculture sector will benefit from €85 million in financing through the Bank of Industry, aimed at supporting agribusinesses across selected value chains, particularly dairy and cocoa production.
A further €1 million will support a twinning initiative with Nigeria’s ministry of agriculture, bringing in public-sector climate and agriculture experts from Austria, the Czech Republic, and Latvia.
In the area of migration governance, €16 million has been set aside to strengthen Nigeria’s framework, with a focus on reintegrating returning migrants and tackling trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling.
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