Colombian Vice President, Mrs. Francia Márquez, arrived in Abuja on Saturday for a three-day official visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic cooperation between Nigeria and Colombia.
Márquez, accompanied by her husband, Mr. Rafael Yerney Pinillo Ocoró, was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji; Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure; Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, and other senior government officials.
According to a statement issued by the Media Assistant to Nigeria’s Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the visit is expected to deepen diplomatic and strategic relations between the two countries and expand cooperation in governance, trade, agriculture, energy, education, security, and other priority areas.
The Colombian Vice President is leading a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers, senior officials, and private sector leaders who will engage Nigerian counterparts in a series of bilateral meetings and business forums.
One of the key highlights of the trip will be the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering strategic sectors such as women empowerment, trade, aviation, manufacturing, agriculture, and culture.
The itinerary also includes a plenary session to be jointly chaired by Vice President Márquez and her Nigerian counterpart, Kashim Shettima, as well as the Nigeria-Colombia Business Forum. In addition, the visit will feature government-to-government talks, high-level business meetings hosted by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and a summit on Artificial Intelligence.
