Nigeria and Israel have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in security and defence, agriculture and food security, technology and innovation, healthcare, as well as expanding trade between both countries.

The renewed commitment was made during the valedictory visit of the outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the ministry's headquarters in Abuja.

Commending the ambassador for his successful tour of duty, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said his tenure had further strengthened relations between the two countries and laid a solid foundation for his successor.

“I know you are here at a critical period. Under you, everybody saw that there’s a lot of understanding. You’ve made the job so easy for your successor," the minister said.

She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening collaboration with Israel in critical areas such as counter-terrorism, intelligence gathering, information sharing, security financing and capacity building for security personnel.

According to the minister, Nigeria is also seeking Israeli expertise in border security to curb cross-border crimes and enhance national security.

She described the recent rescue of the Oriire schoolchildren by Nigerian security forces as a watershed moment in the country's fight against insecurity, noting that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has continued to prioritise security as the foundation for national development.

“The President emphasises security everywhere he goes because you are actually going nowhere without security,” she stated.

On innovation and technology, Odumegwu-Ojukwu underscored the need to strengthen partnerships between Nigerian startups and Israeli technology firms.

“When Nigerian ingenuity meets Israeli innovation, remarkable achievements become possible,” she said, adding that Nigeria also looks forward to leveraging Israeli technology to improve water management and boost agricultural productivity.

In his remarks, Ambassador Freeman reiterated Israel’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in innovation, agriculture, healthcare, security, education and skills development.

Describing Nigeria as an “amazing country” with warm and welcoming people, the envoy said sustained engagement remained essential to unlocking the full potential of the relationship between both nations.

“We are more than willing to work with Nigeria. We know that after the elections, things will be a lot easier. We are committed to defence and security cooperation with Nigeria,” Freeman said.

The ambassador also noted that the current annual trade volume between Nigeria and Israel, estimated at about $200 million, remains below its potential and expressed optimism that both countries would work towards significantly increasing bilateral trade in the years ahead.

•PHOTO: Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, and his host, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja