Nigeria and the Philippines have agreed to establish a joint Business Council and begin further consultations on a proposed Migrant Workers’ Office at the Philippine Embassy in Abuja as both countries seek to expand trade, investment and labour cooperation.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Philippine counterpart, Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting, convened at the instance of the Philippine side, focused on strengthening bilateral relations and identifying areas of practical cooperation, according to a statement issued by Dr Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The proposed Nigeria-Philippines Business Council is expected to provide a structured platform for private-sector engagement, with both sides identifying trade, investment and business cooperation as priorities.
Nigeria and the Philippines also agreed to explore cooperation in fertilizer production, food security and liquefied natural gas (LNG), while plans were discussed for the next Nigeria-Philippines Bilateral Consultation to advance discussions in these and other areas.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria saw significant opportunities to convert the countries’ shared interests into practical economic and people-to-people partnerships.
“ Nigeria attaches great importance to its relationship with the Philippines, and we see considerable opportunities to translate our shared interests into practical economic and people-to-people partnerships,” she said.
She added that the proposed Business Council would provide a platform for the private sectors of both countries to deepen trade and investment.
The minister also linked the migrant workers’ discussions to the protection of Nigerians and Filipinos living and working in each other’s countries.
“Our discussions on migrant workers underscore our shared commitment to ensuring that Nigerians and Filipinos living and working in each other’s countries are treated with dignity, protected under the law, and supported through appropriate institutional mechanisms,” she said.
The two ministers proposed reciprocal ministerial-level visits during the first and second quarters of 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and advance agreed areas of cooperation.
Education and human capital development also featured in the discussions, with both countries expressing interest in expanding student scholarship and exchange programmes.
They also discussed facilitating the mutual recognition of educational certificates between Nigeria and the Philippines.
Migrant Workers’ Office
The two sides further considered the proposed establishment of a Migrant Workers’ Office, or Labour Desk, at the Philippine Embassy in Abuja.
The proposed office is envisaged as a platform for promoting the welfare, safety and protection of migrant workers and supporting issues relating to their rights and immigration status.
The proposal will require further consideration and consultations among relevant Nigerian and Philippine stakeholders because of existing labour migration between the two countries.
The planned consultations are expected to involve relevant departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigerian Embassy in Manila and other relevant ministries, departments and agencies.
The consultations are intended to develop a framework that addresses the interests of both countries while safeguarding the welfare and interests of Nigerians working and residing in the Philippines.
The meeting reaffirmed Nigeria and the Philippines’ commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, education, labour mobility and people-to-people exchanges.
