Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov held a working meeting with Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the governments of St Petersburg and Nigeria’s largest state, according to the press service of the St Petersburg administration.
“The MoU establishes the legal framework for the further development of cooperation between St Petersburg and Niger State. “Our task now is to fill this document with specific projects and develop a long-term plan for co-operation,” noted Governor Beglov.
He emphasised that discussion on opening a St Petersburg Business Information Centre in Nigeria was part of the issues being considered.
The St Petersburg Administration added that the city is prepared to offer modern agricultural and cargo vehicles produced by the Petersburg Tractor Plant to support the development of mechanised agriculture in Niger State. This equipment is already being successfully exported to Egypt, South Africa and Ethiopia.
The statement added that, the Saint Petersburg Mining University is in partnership with a Nigerian university, plans to establish a Centre for Geological Sciences.
It said several Nigerian higher education institutions have already joined the Nedra Afriki (Subsoil of Africa) project, an initiative launched by the Mining University in 2023 as part of the Russia–Africa Summit.
The St Petersburg Governor further identified medicine and pharmaceuticals as key areas for cooperation. He proposed working on a project to create a multidisciplinary medical centre in Niger State, using advanced Russian technologies and drawing on the expertise of the Napalkov Oncological Centre and the International Heart Centre.
Additionally, Beglov highlighted the relevance of cooperation in urban planning. The expertise of the Scientific Research Institute of Perspective Urban Development could be in demand in the design of Nigerian cities, while advanced construction practices could be applied to the development of housing, roads, bridges and interchanges.
Governor Beglov expressed his gratitude to the Russian Embassy and the Trade Representation in Nigeria, as well as the Nigerian diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation, for their significant contribution to fostering cooperation.
In his response, Governor Bago underscored Niger State’s keen interest in developing partnerships with St Petersburg across agriculture, energy, mining, infrastructure, science, education and technological development.
“It is a great honour to build these historic relations, founded upon mutual respect and the principles of equality. I would like to express our gratitude to [Russian] President Vladimir Putin for his interest in Nigeria and for the advancement of Russian-Nigerian relations,” said Bago.
In a separate engagement, the Governor of Niger State met with the Governor of the Leningrad Region Alexander Drozdenko.
According to Radio Sputnik, Drozdenko declared the region’s readiness to leverage the expertise of the Russian Trade Representation in Abuja for joint projects with Niger state and other partners in Nigeria.
Drozdenko also highlighted the Leningrad Region’s expertise in the production of eggs, poultry meat, trout, vegetables and mushrooms. He extended an invitation to his Nigerian counterparts to attend major agricultural exhibitions, including Field Day, Agrorus and Golden Autumn. (African Initiative/GSF)
