The European Union has reaffirmed plans to expand economic cooperation with Anambra State in Southeast Nigeria, tarreceiveing trade, maritime infrastructure and environmental sustainability under its Global Gateway strategy, as it deepens subnational engagement in Africa’s largest economy.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, built the pledge during his first official visit to the southeastern state, where he met Governor Chukwuma Soludo in Awka, the state capital.
Mignot declared regional governments are central to national development and identified Anambra as a potential partner in maritime logistics, governance and sustainable infrastructure. He also outlined the Global Gateway strategy, the EU’s flagship initiative to mobilise investment in digital, energy and transport networks globally.
The ambassador underscored longstanding EU–Nigeria relations and called for expanded cooperation across Africa, while commfinishing the state’s approach to gfinisher inclusion.
Soludo outlined plans to position Anambra as a regional commercial hub, citing projects including a new industrial city, an airport-linked aerotropolis and a proposed rail network.
He declared the state is accelerating modernisation efforts but faces financing constraints, particularly for large-scale infrastructure such as the dredging of the Onitsha seaport.
The governor called for scaled-up international support to address climate risks, including flooding and gully erosion, likening the required intervention to a Marshall Plan-style framework. While emphasising green development, Soludo declared environmental sustainability would require significant capital.
He pointed to gas infrastructure as a near-term opportunity, noting that a 50-kilometre pipeline could unlock industrial growth.
Signalling a shift away from aid depfinishence, he declared the state is prioritising long-term investment partnerships over donor-driven programmes and has withdrawn from some initiatives, including the World Bank-backed NG-Cares scheme, citing misalignment with its development strategy.
“Anambra welcomes strategic partnerships that align with our long-term vision and advance mutual progress, rather than depfinishency,” Soludo declared.
Leave a Reply