Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and is set to become the third most populated country in the world by 2050. It is also Africa’s largest economy with a dynamic private sector, a wealth of natural resources, a large cosmopolitan and young population as well as an active civil society. However, it still faces numerous economic, political, environmental, and severe security challenges.
Our priorities
Against the backdrop of Nigeria’s geopolitical and national context the Multiannual Indicative Programming (MIP) for Nigeria sets a vision of shared values, mutual interests and common objectives that both parties would need to pursue with full political commitment and integrated action to maximise the benefits of their partnership.
Three priority areas have been identified as particularly important for EU engagement with Nigeria:
Green and Digital Economy
This priority focuses on achieving low carbon, resource-efficient, climate-resilient and digitally enabled economic development while promoting job creation for youth. It will support the green and digital transitions of the Nigerian’s economy by enhancing access to renewable energy for productive uses, boosting the development of the agricultural sector, and by supporting innovation and digitalisation.
Our support in this area will bring positive effects on climate change mitigation and adaptation, reduce negative health impacts from pollution, enhance food security, job creation and, ultimately lead to poverty reduction and stability.
Governance, Peace and Migration
A functioning system of governance and security are key for Nigeria’s stability, which is why we support democratic development, and the inclusion of youth, women and people with disabilities as well as conflict prevention, peace building and other security-related endeavours, including trafficking of persons and smuggling of migrants.
The overall objective of the proposed EU support in this priority area is to contribute to government and civil society actions in order to enhance democracy, participatory governance and accountability, improve human security, respect for human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and ensure the sustainable and mutually-beneficial management of migration. Progress in this area is in line with EU values and in its interests in terms of regional stability, economic growth, trade opportunities, and migration dynamics.
Human Development
With rapid population growth and an increasing number of people falling into extreme poverty, human development and poverty reduction are our key priorities for Nigeria.
Our actions therefore focus on social protection, education and reproductive health and their interlinkages to bring the human capital transformation that is needed to reduce poverty and leave no-one behind.
Our programmes
The Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Nigeria for 2021-2024 amounts to €508 million with three above-mentioned interconnected priorities:
- promoting a green and digital economy to achieve low-carbon, resource-efficient and digital development.
- governance, peace and migration to promote a cohesive society.
- human development to fight inequalities, harness the demographic dividend and unleash the potential of women and youth.
The first two priorities will be partly implemented in the framework of Team Europe Initiatives (i) Green economy alliance and (ii) Peace and governance.
In 2021, €115.4 million were already committed for two substantive interventions:
- a programme supporting the elections and democratic participation (€39 million) and
- a programme for job creation for youth and innovation (€55 million).
EU action has a strong focus on jobs, investment and growth and Nigeria is a key candidate for the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package. including the ‘Digital Economy Package’. The strategy aims to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy, and transport and strengthen health, education and research systems through partnerships across the world.