Portugal and Nigeria are two friendly and forward moving countries with an enviable alliance that is eliciting the compliments of many across the globe, especially in Africa and Europe. With nearly 50years of inspiring bilateral bond, the synergy between these two great nations remains strong and steadfast ensuring the promotions of overall national improvements and citizenry comfortability.
“Nigeria is a beloved and globally respected country, and Portugal, a strategic growth-partner is deepening bilateral relations and offering supports for its national progress and sustainability” …Amb. Santos
As a close and mutually engaging allies, both countries continue to work together across wide ranges of issues including defence & security commitments, trade continuity, infrastructure and technology investments, sports growth, cultural exchanges, educational/academic development, agriculture advancement & food security, peoples’ health protection, citizens’ welfare good governance gains. Kudos to both countries’ governments and national managers as they unite to pursue a safe and prosperous world.
Ambassador Santos in talks with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on fostering deeper relations between Portugal and Nigeria.
President Tinubu receiving Letter of Credence from Ambassador Santos at the State House, Abuja
Commendably too, at the centre of Portugal-Nigeria onward relationship are personnel (retired and serving) diplomats, non-career staff and other important stakeholders whose devotions are geared towards promoting country’s interests first, and strengthening the nearly half-a-century friendship established. This dynamic workforce, consisting of qualitative men and women are committedly driving the diplomacy and development tasks seen and enjoyed by many.
Towards this, and formally leading Portugal priorities in Nigeria is the celebrated ‘Team Portugal’ headed by no other than His Excellency, Ambassador Paulo Santos: an able and ebullient Envoy revered in diplomatic circles and among colleague Ambassadors in Nigeria.
As the current Head of Mission at the Embassy of Portugal, Abuja, Nigeria, Ambassador Santos, who also oversees Portuguese Missions in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and the ECOWAS, is ensuring effective and impactful Tour of Duty in Nigeria.
Towards this, Acclaim Nigeria Int’nal Magazine (ANIM), paid him a courtesy visit at the Embassy in Abuja to familiarize with him and the Mission’s ongoing works in Nigeria. The media outfit led by its Editor-in-Chief/CEO, Mr. Olumide Ogunlade and the Abuja Bureau Chief, Mr. Moses Taiwo, were warmly received by the Ambassador and were impressed by the level of accomplishments witnessed not only by Team-Portugal Nigeria but also by Portuguese presence in Nigeria.
Fostering Transformational Leadership
Ambassador Santos is a man of excellence and commitment to duty. Starting as the Mission’s Charge d’ Affaires, with his Letter of Commission presented to the (former) Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E Geoffrey Onyeama, on 1st May 2023, the pragmatic Diplomat continues to raise the stakes and standards of his Ambassadorial roles, engaging with key development stakeholders and increasing Portugal’s visibility and relevance in Nigeria.
Since, presenting his Letter of Credence to President Tinubu in July 2024, H.E Mr. Paulo Santos is amplifying exemplary leadership practices and promotions that are positively impacting his team, uplifting the Embassy, engaging allied partners, and bolstering Portugal-Nigeria Ties. And, as a leader that motivates and mentors many towards increased productivity and positive accomplishments, he is recognised among senior diplomats that are helping to foster favorable and friendly work outlooks that are yielding fruitful outcomes in diverse areas of growth in Nigeria.
Effective Inter-Government Relations
Portugal and Nigeria enjoy high level and robust intergovernmental interactions which have vastly helped in the collaboration, coordination, communication and capacity support for expanded friendship, democracy sustenance, economy advancement, defence and security promotions. With this interface going on, Lisbon and Abuja are constantly signing beneficial Memorandum Of Understanding, adopting invaluable treaties, aligning profitable policies, facilitating cooperation, offering vital technical aids, addressing regional issues and sharing useful information for an improved continent.
A classic example of this high-level visitation between both countries was witnessed in 2022 when Nigerian Former President Muhammadu Buhari paid a state visit to Portugal.
Rapid Economic & Infrastructural Growth
With increasing numbers of Portuguese companies offering diverse products and services across the country, the burgeoning economic interactions between governments and growth-institutions of both countries and integrated efforts aimed at facilitating economic growth and investments, Portugal and Nigeria now enjoy budding trade ties that are significantly developing both economies.
Encouragingly too, the active efforts of trade and business agencies/platforms such as Portugal-Nigeria Business Trade & Investment Forum, PNBTI Forum, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) and the Portuguese Investment and Foreign Trade Agency (AICEP) are tenaciously driving investment and growth promotions across sectors and ensuring enduring economic diplomacy.
Ambassador Santos presenting Letter of Commission to Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E Geoffrey Onyeama
International trade between both countries is growing with new markets also emerging. Exports activities into Nigeria are thus rising from many Portuguese companies dealing in manufacturing, agricultural business, service providers, transportation organizations, construction & engineering, technology, textile, among others.
Nigerians are enjoying Portuguese dairy products, papers supplies (Portugal being the highest supplier of papers in Europe), olive oil, wines, cocoa, tea, mate, spices fertilizers, automobile parts, chemicals among other exportable products, even as the Southwestern European nation is actively importing Crude Petroleum Oil & Gas, Wood Charcoal, etc from Nigeria.
It is instructive to note that Portugal is the second destination of Nigerian Gas in Europe trailing Spain in this energy product purchase and this is good for blossoming trade partnership.
Portugal has also been involved in the physical development of Nigeria for decades now, and one of its globally renowned companies MOTA-ENGIL LTD is blazing the trail in this area. The prestigious company is opening frontiers between Nigeria and her neighbouring countries through the construction of an unprecedented 400km railway route. These ongoing massive transportation project in lines & tracks are traversing through Kano- Kazaure-Dutse-Maradi (in Niger).
Through this project, Mota-Engil with administrative HQ in Lagos, Nigeria, also known for its Corporate Social Responsibilities efforts is providing remarkable economic activities along that construction corridor that are providing job creation opportunities, poverty reduction, enhancing the movements of persons and goods, developing infrastructures and providing various growth-related incentives to project beneficiaries and their environments.
Increasing Strategic Synergy
The excited Ambassador also drew the attention of the visiting media to the rich cultural exchanges between Portugal and Nigeria, highlighting the importance of people-to-people interaction particularly noting the friendly dispositions between Portuguese and Nigerians, and the appreciable number of Portuguese living, working and visiting Nigeria.
In the areas of Academic/educational linkages, the Envoy stated that an impressive number of Nigerian students are not only schooling in various parts of Portugal but are also enjoying from the widely acclaimed European Erasmus programme in his country. He assured of the great learning and safe environments Portugal offers for Nigerian and international students, pointing out that there are various training and research opportunities available across his country to boost capacity development, enrich quality lives, empower institutions and societies.
Mr. Ambassador also believes that increased tourism commitment is important for economic gains and growth, and for continued alliance between both countries, while also assuring of legitimate and profitable travels & tours via effective consular services and efficient visas application and issuance processes by his Embassy.
Acclaim Nigeria Int’nal Magazine crew with Ambassador Santor at the Embassy in Abuja
ANIM Editor-in-Chief, Mr Olumide Ogunlade with Ambassador Santos at his office at the Embassy of Portugal, Abuja
Nationhood Sustenance
Mr. Santos salute the efforts of the host nation leaders at all tiers of governance, especially as they diligently strive to reposition the country to greater paths of advancement. He urged the Nigerian people and public to always support improvements at all levels, underscoring citizenry contributions to national development as a crucial step to sustainable progress. He urged all key players (both from within and beyond) desirous of a prosperous Nigeria to unite towards this cause.
For him, Nigeria has rich diaspora diversity spread across the world, including in Portugal, and these strategic human representations making the country proud at every sector abroad should continue to give back to homeland greatness. Ambassador Paulo Santos called for more involvements of Nigerians at home and abroad in nationhood advancement, reassuring of Portuguese government and its Mission in Nigeria continued supports.
ANIM crew also express its appreciation to the Head of Mission for the warm reception and Portuguese hospitality it received at the Embassy and used the opportunity to appeal for a Portuguese Consulate General in Lagos. This request His Excellency said will be presented to his nation’s government through its Foreign and Finance Ministries respectively in Lisbon..
Long Live Embassy of Portugal, Abuja…. Long Live Portugal-Nigeria Ties!
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