Nigeria, Kuwait deepen development, education cooperation

Nigeria and the State of Kuwait have pledged to deepen cooperation in development financing and education, as Kuwait marked its 65th National Day and 35th Liberation Day anniversary in Abuja.

Kuwait’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Salim Almuzayen, said the celebration reflected not only Kuwait’s national milestones but also the country’s commitment to partnerships that promote sustainable development, particularly with long-standing allies such as Nigeria.

He pointed to the “Reaching Out of School Children” project in Kaduna State, funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development in collaboration with UNICEF, as a flagship example of cooperation, noting that the initiative is designed to support more than 200,000 out-of-school children.

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Almuzayen said Kuwait’s development engagement is guided by its moderate foreign policy and long-term vision to work with partners toward shared prosperity, adding that Kuwait has financed projects in more than 100 countries since the establishment of the Kuwait Fund in 1961.

Representing the Nigerian government, the Director of Regions Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bukar Buni Hamman, described Kuwait as a trusted development partner, stressing that bilateral relations have evolved into concrete programmes that address Nigeria’s social and human capital priorities.

He said Nigeria’s concessional loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund in 2025, valued at about US$62.8 million, is supporting climate-resilient school infrastructure, teacher training and inclusive access to quality education, especially for girls and children with disabilities.

Hamman added that beyond education, both countries are expanding discussions on cooperation in agriculture, food security, infrastructure, digital connectivity and renewable energy, while Nigerian states are opening investment opportunities to Kuwaiti partners.

Officials from both countries said the National Day celebration underscored a shared commitment to strengthening Nigeria-Kuwait ties through development-driven partnerships that deliver long-term benefits to their people.