April 07, (THEWILL) – Nigeria and Sweden have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations, with renewed focus on trade, sustainable development, innovation, and gender equality, as Vice President Kashim Shettima received Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

Crown Princess Victoria is on a three-day official visit to Nigeria aimed at fostering diplomatic and economic cooperation between both countries. The visit marks a significant step in strengthening over six decades of bilateral ties between Nigeria and Sweden.

Describing the royal visit as a pivotal moment in the Nigeria-Sweden relationship, Vice President Shettima said it signaled the beginning of a more robust partnership across multiple sectors.

“This visit opens the door to deeper institutional collaboration, stimulates business-to-business engagement, and promotes cultural exchange,” Shettima said. “We see tremendous potential in areas such as renewable energy, precision agriculture, healthcare innovation, and gender inclusion—domains where Sweden’s expertise aligns with Nigeria’s aspirations.”

He recalled his October 2023 visit to Stockholm, where he represented President Bola Tinubu, noting that the engagements held then had catalyzed tangible progress in bilateral cooperation.

“Our meetings in Sweden were far from ceremonial—they were strategic. They laid the foundation for new partnerships, including a Memorandum of Understanding with Ericsson to drive 5G innovation in Nigeria,” the Vice President noted.

Shettima praised Swedish investments in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and education sector, citing the contributions of Swedish edtech firm, SchoolTry, in improving educational outcomes.

“These partnerships are building blocks in a broader framework of cooperation—positioning Sweden as a key partner in Nigeria’s journey toward digital inclusion, educational reform, sustainable agriculture, and clean energy transition,” he stated.

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the relationship, Shettima described the partnership as “anchored in innovation, powered by people, and guided by our shared resolve to uplift communities and secure prosperity for future generations.”

In her remarks, Crown Princess Victoria highlighted Sweden’s deepening interest in Nigeria and the promising opportunities for collaboration.

“It is wonderful to see the potential here. There are so many sectors where our nations are already working together. It is our hope that Sweden will soon have a permanent trade office here in Nigeria,” she said.

Sweden’s Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Andreas Carlson, who is part of the delegation, confirmed plans to officially open the Swedish Trade Office in Nigeria on Tuesday. He described Nigeria as a key partner in innovation and technology across Africa.

“We see long-standing business relationships and shared values. The MoU signed during your visit to Stockholm has yielded positive momentum. We have five innovation hubs across Africa and the largest is in Lagos,” Carlson stated, noting further prospects in healthcare, agriculture, and other sectors.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, also noted ongoing conversations between both countries covering trade, agriculture, green energy, and ICT. He revealed plans by the ministry to collaborate with countries interested in hiring skilled Nigerian workers through structured channels under the Technical Aid Corps programme.

Meanwhile, Vice President Shettima, in a related engagement, pledged Nigeria’s readiness to implement the MoU signed with Swedish telecommunications giant, Ericsson. He made the remarks during a courtesy visit by an Ericsson delegation led by Senior Vice President and Head of Market Area Europe, Middle East and Africa, Patrick Johansson.

Shettima commended the company’s enduring presence in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem and its current investments in innovation hubs and small business support.

“We cherish our relationship with Sweden and your company. Nigeria is a large nation with a tech-savvy, youthful population. We’re home to several Unicorns. The future is Nigeria,” he asserted.

Johansson underscored Ericsson’s commitment to driving grassroots innovation in Nigeria, while another executive, Majda Lahlou Kassi, described the country as pivotal to the company’s growth on the continent.

Also present at the meeting were Ericsson’s Director of Public Affairs, Government and Industry Relations, and Senior Solutions Architect, Mr. Efosa Aigbe.