Nigeria and Russia are set to expand cooperation under the BRICS Women's Business Alliance (WBA), with focus on trade, innovation, and women-led enterprises.
At a stakeholders' session in Abuja, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the engagement was timely, stressing that both countries already share long-standing ties in education, energy, defence, and technology.
She explained that the Tinubu administration's Renewed Hope Agenda and the 4-Ds foreign policy framework — democracy, development, demography and diaspora — align with the BRICS WBA mandate of inclusive growth and global partnerships.
The minister commended Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for hosting the forum, describing her as an example of how women shape societies and economies. She also praised her initiatives supporting women and girls in education, entrepreneurship and empowerment.
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The Russian delegation was led by Anna Nesterova, chairperson of the BRICS WBA Chapter in Russia. Their visit, Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted, signalled a stronger commitment to building inclusive economic partnerships.
She identified trade, agriculture, energy, digital innovation and education as priority areas for collaboration, stressing the role of women entrepreneurs in making such projects sustainable.
"This gathering must produce actionable outcomes," she said, urging both sides to develop frameworks that encourage joint ventures, finance access, knowledge exchange and market opportunities, especially for SMEs in agro-processing, creative industries and technology-driven businesses.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu concluded by reaffirming Nigeria's readiness to work with Russia under the BRICS platform to drive investment and strengthen people-to-people ties.
