Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, claims that Africa’s small participation in global commerce is incompatible with the continent’s population growth and poses long-term hazards to global stability.

Tuggar spoke on Wednesday at the 2026 annual meeting of ambassadors in Spain, which had the topic “Good neighbourliness: Building bridges or building walls”.

He stated that Africa’s continuous status as a raw material provider while importing finished goods perpetuates underdevelopment and exacerbates economic pressures across the continent.

According to a statement published Thursday by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s special assistant for media, such imbalances are not limited to Africa and eventually flow across borders, causing instability in Europe and other countries.

Tuggar defined Europe and Africa as components of a unified geopolitical area, with futures inextricably bound by geography, history, and economic interdependence.

He encouraged European nations to pursue partnerships that promote industrialisation, value chain development, and fairer trade access for African economies, pointing out that long-term progress on the continent will benefit both areas.

Tuggar also advocated against migration policies motivated by fear.

While reaffirming Nigeria’s opposition to illegal migration, the minister cautioned that the weaponization of anti-migrant sentiment and the securitisation of labour mobility have destabilised the Sahel region.

Tuggar mentioned coordinated activities on migration management, police training, and the fight against human trafficking and smuggling as excellent instances of Nigeria-Spain collaboration.