Nigeria, Denmark deepen bilateral ties as reforms attract $7bn infrastructure capital

Nigeria and Denmark have signaled a shared intent to broaden their bilateral trade and investment scope, leveraging ongoing domestic macroeconomic reforms to unlock new private-sector opportunities across key growth sectors.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by Jens Ole Bach Hansen, Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Abubakar Bagudu, Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding economic cooperation amidst shifting global trade dynamics and protectionist pressures.

According to Bagudu, Nigeria’s policy has always been anchored in building strong bilateral partnerships, especially with countries that share a commitment to inclusive growth, sustainable development, and shared prosperity.

He also noted that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is working to correct decades of capital underinvestment across critical sectors by creating a transparent, competitive climate designed to de-risk private investment.

“Correcting decades of underinvestment across almost all sectors can only be achieved by learning from countries that have successfully solved similar challenges, especially those with strong and vibrant private sectors

“Nigeria is willing to collaborate with Denmark to promote trade, strengthen peace and security initiatives, share knowledge and resources, and jointly address common challenges, including irregular migration”, Bagudu said.

According to the Minister, the Administration’s market-oriented structural reforms are already yielding measurable results, citing about $7 billion in infrastructure capital commitments secured over the last two years.

Bagudu identified agriculture, livestock development, the digital economy, the blue economy, and the judicial sector as key areas for further strengthening cooperation between both countries.

The minister noted that despite the challenges of implementing reforms, the country is seeing increased investor confidence, particularly in infrastructure development, adding that the Administration remains committed to strengthening economic stability, enhance productivity, and position Nigeria for sustainable growth.

In his remarks, Jens Ole Bach Hansen reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Nigeria, describing the relationship between the two countries as built on shared values, mutual respect, and common priorities.

The ambassador stated that Denmark is expanding its diplomatic presence in Nigeria by establishing a larger embassy and deploying additional diplomatic personnel, including officers focused on politics, defence, agriculture, and other strategic areas.

He explained that the expansion reflected Denmark’s growing commitment to Nigeria and the wider West African region.

Hansen highlighted Denmark’s growing commercial engagement with Nigeria, noting the presence of major Danish companies and the recent establishment of the Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) office in Lagos to support sustainable private-sector investments.

He identified agriculture, maritime development and security, and the digital economy as key areas of existing cooperation between the two countries.

According to him, “Denmark is also exploring further collaboration with Nigeria across education, culture, the creative economy, and the judicial sector.

“Denmark sees positive signs in Nigeria’s economic trajectory and believes that ongoing reforms are creating opportunities for stronger investment partnerships.”

He proposed discussions to formalise a broader political partnership framework between Nigeria and Denmark, noting that such an arrangement would provide a structured platform for advancing cooperation across various sectors.