By Sarafina Christopher
The volume of bilateral trade between Nigeria and the Philippines has witnessed an unprecedented increase of 700 per cent over the last three years.
The Philippines’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Mersole J. Mellejor, disclosed this on Wednesday during the 128th Independence Anniversary celebration of the Republic of the Philippines hosted by the country’s Embassy in Abuja.
According to him, the volume of bilateral trade between both countries rose from a modest 47 million dollars in 2023 to 300 million dollars in 2025.
He said that both countries had maintained cordial relations and were working to expand other areas of cooperation for mutual benefits.
He said Nigeria and the Philippines were seeking to strengthen their longstanding diplomatic ties by deepening cooperation in education, trade and investment.
“The level of bilateral trade is modest by today’s standards, but it has shown remarkable potential, having expanded consistently over the last three years.
“That is about a 700 per cent increase, and we remain focused on encouraging partnerships between Philippines and Nigerian companies,” he said.
The envoy also disclosed that plans were underway to establish a Nigeria-Philippines Business Council to strengthen business engagements and unlock trade opportunities between both countries.
“This is to ensure that business between the two countries is conducted in a more organised manner and to enable players on both sides to leverage their strengths,” he said.
Mellejor also highlighted the growing educational ties between the two nations, noting that the Philippines over 9,000 Nigerians were currently pursuing higher education in the Philippines.
He further said that people-to-people exchanges was one of the strongest pillars of the bilateral relations, adding that cultural ties between both countries continued to expand.
“Afrobeats is popular in the Philippines, while Filipino soap operas have found a strong fan base in Nigeria,” he said.
Babagana Wakili, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Philippines.
Wakili said the Filipino community in Nigeria had made meaningful contributions, particularly in the health, education and technology sectors.
“The professionalism, dedication and service of Filipinos in Nigeria remain are appreciated by the government and people of Nigeria,” he said.
He said Nigeria looked forward to expanding cooperation with the Philippines in areas such as trade and investment, agriculture, energy, labour mobility and capacity building.
“We look forward to enhancing our cooperation for sustainable development and to sustaining the dignity of our peoples.
“This anniversary celebration is not only a tribute to the Philippines’ proud history, but also an affirmation of the enduring bond between our two countries,” Wakili said.
NAN reports that the event brought together members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, members of the Filipino community and private sector stakeholders, among others. (NAN)
Edited by Mark Longyen