By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima arrived in Addis Ababa on Wednesday for an official visit aimed at deepening long standing diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Vice President Shettima was received by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The two leaders held discussions on a range of pressing bilateral and continental issues.
“This evening, I welcomed Vice President Kashim Shettima of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Prime Minister Abiy said in a statement posted to his official social media. “We discussed key bilateral and continental issues.”
The visit marks a renewed commitment to the historic ties between the two African nations, which established formal diplomatic relations in 1964. Ethiopia had, however, opened its embassy in Lagos as early as 1961—highlighting the early depth of the relationship.
Their ties have been shaped by shared pan-African ideals and mutual efforts toward regional peace and stability. In the 1960s and 1970s, the collaboration extended to military training, with Nigerian officers receiving instruction at Ethiopia’s Harar Military Academy. Nigeria also supported Ethiopia during the Ethiopian-Somali War in the late 1970s.
Today, the relationship spans multiple sectors including trade, agriculture, industrial development, and security. A cornerstone of this cooperation is economic engagement. Nigeria’s Dangote Group, led by industrialist Aliko Dangote, has invested approximately $500 million in a cement factory in Ethiopia—one of the most prominent Nigerian private sector ventures in the country.
Efforts are underway to increase trade between the two nations. Although trade volumes remain modest, both governments and private sector actors are working to harness untapped potential. Recent business forums, such as those organized by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), have been instrumental in fostering new partnerships. These initiatives align with broader regional goals under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Sources familiar with the visit told Borkena that agriculture and industrial development also feature prominently on Vice President Shettima’s agenda. He is expected to tour key industrial parks and integrated agricultural hubs in Ethiopia as part of Nigeria’s drive to boost food security and agro-industrialization under President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
In addition to economic and agricultural collaboration, Nigeria and Ethiopia maintain ongoing defense and security cooperation. This includes intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism efforts, and joint participation in peacekeeping missions across the continent.
The countries also exchange governance practices, given their similarities as diverse, federated states. Ethiopia has shown interest in Nigeria’s experience with asset recovery and anti-corruption reforms, particularly in institutional strengthening and democratic governance.
Vice President Shettima’s visit is expected to reinforce the strategic partnership between Nigeria and Ethiopia, with both governments expressing optimism about translating their historic ties into measurable outcomes for their citizens and for Africa as a whole.
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