TheCable

Nigeria and Angola have partnered to enhance electricity generation and water supply within their respective borders.

According to NAN on Wednesday, the collaborative effort was made when Jose Bamoquina, the Angolan envoy to Nigeria, visited Joseph Utsev, the minister of water resources and sanitation, and his state counterpart, in Abuja.

On February 4, 2024, former President Olusegun Obasanjo called for an increase in bilateral relations between Nigeria and Angola to boost the economy.

The former head of state advised that attention should be on African countries’ benefits from their own products as it aligns with the goal of promoting intra-African trade and economic self-sufficiency.

Speaking during the meeting, Utsev said the significance of the partnership is for both nations to exchange technical expertise and knowledge in critical sectors.

The minister said the primary focus is to improve citizens’ lives through advancements in water supply and hydropower generation.

Addressing the need for global support in achieving universal access to clean and safe water, Utsev welcomed an invitation from Bamoquina to visit Angola to promote a more robust partnership across various mutually beneficial areas.

On his part, Bamoquina, while speaking on the purpose of his visit, stressed his desire for increased collaboration to harness the mineral resources in his country.

The envoy highlighted Angola’s potential to export electricity to other countries, outlining plans for the expansion and efficient utilisation of six major dams with Nigeria’s technical expertise.

Bamoquina said the goal is to provide potable water and improve irrigation farming for the Angolan population.

On October 20, 2023, Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, had said the federal government would deepen the existing bilateral relations between Angola and Nigeria.

Idris, who delivered remarks at the Angola-Nigerian business forum dinner in Abuja last year, said the two countries share an essential relationship, as they are both members of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is eager to deepen the relationship between Nigeria and other African countries, including Angola,” Idris had said.

“Nigeria is very keen to support Angola’s domestic and foreign aspirations and the country’s overall development, and we expect reciprocity in this regard. Indeed, the progress of one is the progress of all.”

The minister added that both countries are well endowed with natural resources, especially oil and gas, noting that as the two biggest producers of crude oil in Africa, they are seen as ‘big brothers’, with high expectations of them.