 | |
 Nigeria |  Russia |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Nigerian Embassy, Moscow | Russian Embassy, Abuja |
Nigeria–Russia relations are thebilateralforeign relations betweenNigeria andRussia. Russia has anembassy inAbuja,[1] and Nigeria has anembassy in Moscow.
The current Ambassador of Russia to Nigeria isAlexey Shebarshin.
Diplomatic relations betweenNigeria and theSoviet Union were established on 25 November 1960.[2]
ThePrime Minister of Nigeria at the time,Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa had a pro-West orientation in his foreign policy, which represented for abhorrence to USSR and other Eastern Bloc states. As a result, the circulation of communist literature in Nigeria was banned and students were discouraged from taking Soviet scholarships. Balewa had personally assured the British government "we shall use every means in our power to prevent the infiltration of communism and communist ideas into Nigeria."[3] At one point, the Soviets were implicated in a plot to overthrow Balewa's government.[3]
At the same time, theCommunist Party of the Soviet Union did not have close links with theCommunist Party of Nigeria, which adopted a more pro-Chinese stance.[4]
After the1966 Nigerian counter-coup, the Soviet Union welcomed GeneralYakubu Gowon as the new Nigerian leader, especially with the release from prison of ChiefObafemi Awolowo, who had been sympathetic to closer ties with the Soviet Union.[4] Gowon sent a special envoy to Kremlin to further ties.[4]
During theNigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970, theUSSR provided the Nigerian government with political and military assistance.[4] In January 1970, Nigerian Ambassador George Kurubo praised the Soviet military aid, saying that it "more than any other single thing—more than all other things together" contributed to the government victory. Furthermore, he noted “something commendable, something great and something honorable in this attitude.”[5]
A Soviet-ownedAjaokuta Steel Mill and a college and technical school were established in 1975 inWarri.[4] In 1979, Nigeria ordered the Soviet Union to cut its contingent of military advisers in the country from 40 to 5 staff members, in response to inefficient performance and “condescending attitudes” on the part of the Soviet advisers, who train Nigerians to fly Soviet MIG‐21 fighters.[6] In 1984, GeneralTunde Idiagbon, theChief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters and second in command toMuhammadu Buhari, led a delegation to the Soviet Union to meet with Soviet leaderKonstantin Chernenko.[7]
Nigeria and the newly formed Russian Federation established diplomatic relations in 1991.[citation needed] In March 2001, thePresident of NigeriaOlusegun Obasanjo visitedMoscow. During that visit,Vladimir Putin and Olusegun Obasanjo signed the declaration “On the Principles of Friendly Relations and Partnership Between the Russian Federation and the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, as well as a program of cooperation in bilateral and international formats between Russia and Nigeria. On June 24, 2009, Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedev made an official visit to Nigeria as part of a 3 nation tour ofAfrica. It was the first visit by any Russian leader to Nigeria.[8][9]
Previously the Nigerian embassy was in Lagos instead of Abuja. The embassy was inVictoria Island.[10]
In 2017, Russia and Nigeria signed an agreement on military cooperation. Nigeria is interested in buying Russian military equipment. Nigeria has already signed a contract for the purchase of Mi-35 helicopters, six of which have already been delivered.[11] In August 2021, Nigeria and Russia signed an agreement for theRussian Armed Forces to train and supply theNigerian Armed Forces.[12] It was signed inMoscow by Nigerian Minister of DefenceBashir Salihi Magashi and RussianFSVTS Director Dmitry Shugaev.
Russian Embassy in Nigeria Plot 1119, Constitution avenue, Central Business District, Abuja
5, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
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