President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Paul Kagame have agreed to deepen bilateral relations between Nigeria and Rwanda, with renewed focus on trade, regional integration, tourism, aviation and economic cooperation.
The two African leaders reached the agreement during a meeting at the Urugwiro Presidential Villa in Kigali ahead of the Africa CEO Forum, where discussions centred on strengthening commercial ties and accelerating intra-African partnerships.
Both presidents reaffirmed their commitment to revitalising the Nigeria-Rwanda Joint Permanent Ministerial Commission (JPMC), first signed in 2021, as a strategic framework for advancing diplomatic and economic cooperation. They also agreed that Nigeria would host the next session of the commission.
In a move expected to support business travel and regional mobility, President Tinubu said Nigeria would consider reciprocating Rwanda’s existing 30-day visa-free policy for Nigerian citizens, describing the initiative as consistent with broader Pan-African integration goals.
The discussions also covered the implementation of pending Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in key sectors including tourism, anti-corruption cooperation and the fight against illicit drugs.
The two leaders further explored ways to operationalise the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to boost intra-African trade and remove barriers to cross-border commerce across the continent.
As part of efforts to strengthen regional trade logistics, Nigeria is also in talks with RwandAir to expand cargo connectivity and improve export access for Nigerian businesses across Africa. The development follows Nigeria’s air cargo corridor initiative launched with Uganda Airlines last year.
Analysts say the renewed engagement between Africa’s two largest economies in West and East Africa could help drive investment flows, improve trade connectivity and support the continent’s broader economic integration agenda under AfCFTA.
