The Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Terrance Drew, has expressed strong interest in deepening bilateral ties with Nigeria, particularly in agriculture, food security, energy, logistics and trade.
Speaking after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Saturday evening, Drew emphasised that both leaders share a commitment to food sovereignty as a cornerstone of sustainable national development.
He noted that the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis has already initiated discussions with several Nigerian firms to explore opportunities for collaboration across the Caribbean region.
“We are looking seriously at agriculture and food security,” Drew stated, “As Mr. President said, food sovereignty is quite important. We’ve contacted a number of firms here in Nigeria to consider partnerships in Saint Kitts and Nevis and the wider Caribbean.”
“We have been doing a number of things, so we wanted to come here. This time, I came to an Investment Summit, trying to inspire our people here to come to the Caribbean to invest so that we can work together, closer as a region, as two regions, but really, we are all connected by blood,” he further explained.
Beyond agriculture, Drew highlighted sectors such as energy, transport, and trade as areas of immediate strategic interest.
While broader topics like education were also discussed, he emphasised that these key sectors remain the government’s current priority for economic and developmental engagement.
He explained, “I came here from Saint Kitts and Nevis, the CARICOM, the Caribbean, and we are seeking to establish greater ties between the Caribbean and our African brothers and sisters here, as we call it, the motherland.
Meanwhile, Tinubu described the engagement as a significant opportunity for Africa to expand its global connections, emphasising that for Nigeria, in particular, it presents a chance to strengthen bilateral relations.
He highlighted the importance of examining and harnessing the full spectrum of available economic opportunities to ensure both countries achieve greater development and mutual benefit.
“It’s a very great opportunity for Africa to connect widely, and Nigeria in particular, to strengthen our bilateral relations and examine and exploit all the economic opportunities that is available to us so that we can achieve more for ourselves,”
Saturday’s visit, which comes as Tinubu marked his 73rd birthday, signals a growing push for South-South cooperation between African and Caribbean nations.
Nigeria and Saint Kitts and Nevis have maintained diplomatic relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States.
Although both countries do not currently maintain resident embassies in each other’s capitals, diplomatic accreditation is facilitated through multilateral missions, such as those in New York and London.
In recent years, there has been increased interest in fostering South-South cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean, with Nigeria taking a leadership role in advocating for deeper Afro-Caribbean engagement.
This aligns with the objectives of the Africa-Caribbean Summit, which held its inaugural session in 2021 under the theme “Unity Across Continents and Oceans: Opportunities for Deepening Integration”.
However, bilateral trade between Nigeria and Saint Kitts and Nevis has been limited. According to UN COMTRADE data (2022), total trade between the two nations is valued at less than $500,000 annually, with Nigeria primarily exporting mineral fuels and some manufactured goods, while Saint Kitts and Nevis exports electronics components and beverages in small quantities.
