More Nigerian Investors to Come to Ethiopia as Country Opens Up: Nigeria’s Deputy Head of Mission

Addis Ababa, April 9, 2025 (ENA) – More Nigerian investors will come to Ethiopia as the country continues opening up its economy to private businesses, Nigeria's Deputy Head of Mission Maxy Ogbede said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the deputy head of mission at the Nigerian Embassy here in Addis Ababa stated that Nigeria is looking at improved trade relations with Ethiopia.

According to him, more Nigerians will come into Ethiopia as the nation is opening up its economy to private business.

He further pointed out that the Nigerian economy has also been open to investors from everywhere, and "we are looking to have Nigerians coming to Ethiopia to do their business."

Regarding bilateral relations, Ogbede said it is very, very solid. “We have had great bilateral ties with Ethiopia since 1960, and it has been going on.”

Ethiopian Airlines flies almost daily basis to Lagos, Kano and Abuja; and that tells you a lot of inflow of Nigerians and a lot of Ethiopians going to Nigeria, he added.

Yet the two countries are looking to strengthen the ties in terms of migration and visa policies, among others.

The deputy head of mission believes that Nigeria and Ethiopia, the two most populous countries in Africa with over 230 million and 120 million, have strong future prospects.

The countries have great prospects to further elevate the bilateral relations, which will be mutually beneficial for the countries, he noted.

“We have strong cultural heritages, we share the same multi-ethnic diversity like Ethiopia. So we have a lot in common with Ethiopia; and there is a future prospect that the two countries can become great together.”

Ogbede stressed the need to reinforce endeavors to come together and to bring the nations' people together and further enhance the strong ties of the populous countries in the continent.

Finally, the deputy head of mission noted that Ethiopia and Nigeria share a lot of common values marked by strong bilateral ties.