By Gloria Ikibah
Nigeria and the Philippines have agreed to establish a joint business council and continue consultations on the proposed creation of a Migrant Workers’ Office at the Philippine Embassy in Abuja.
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, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting, convened at the instance of the Philippine side, focused on strengthening bilateral relations and opening up new areas of economic and people-to-people cooperation.
The two ministers identified fertiliser production, food security and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as priority areas for deeper collaboration.
They also agreed to work towards convening the next Nigeria-Philippines Bilateral Consultation to advance discussions on the identified areas and other issues of mutual interest.
Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria was keen to translate its relationship with the Philippines into practical economic opportunities and stronger people-to-people ties.
She said: “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.
“The proposed Business Council will provide an important platform for our private sectors to deepen trade and investment, while 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”.
The ministers agreed that the proposed Nigeria-Philippines Business Council would provide a structured platform for promoting trade, investment and private-sector engagement between both countries.
They also proposed reciprocal ministerial-level visits in the first and second quarters of 2027 as part of efforts to maintain momentum in bilateral relations and advance the areas of cooperation identified by both sides.
Education and human capital development also featured prominently in the discussions, with Nigeria and the Philippines expressing interest in expanding scholarship and student exchange programmes.
Both sides also discussed the possibility of facilitating the mutual recognition of educational certificates, a move that could make it easier for qualified Nigerians and Filipinos to pursue educational and professional opportunities in each other’s countries.
Migrant workers’ office proposed
The two ministers further considered the proposed establishment of a Migrant Workers’ Office, also described as a Labour Desk or Office, at the Philippine Embassy in Abuja.
The proposed office is expected to provide an institutional platform for addressing the welfare, safety and protection of migrant workers, including matters relating to their rights and immigration status.
The proposal comes against the backdrop of labour migration between Nigeria and the Philippines and will require further consultations before any framework is established.
The 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.
According to the statement, the inter-agency consultations will seek to develop a balanced framework that takes into account the interests of both countries while adequately safeguarding the welfare and interests of Nigerians working and residing in the Philippines.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of Nigeria and the Philippines to expanding bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, economic development, education, labour mobility and people-to-people exchanges.
The proposed business council and migrant workers’ office are expected to provide new institutional channels for translating the renewed diplomatic engagement between Abuja and Manila into practical cooperation.
