Nigeria–Philippines relations

Nigeria-Philippines relations

Nigeria
Philippines

Nigeria and the Philippines established their bilateral, diplomatic and trade relation in August 1962. Nigeria has an embassy in Manila and the Philippines has an embassy in Abuja.

History

Before the establishment of the Nigerian Embassy in Makati, Metro Manila in 1981, the Nigerian Student Union in the Philippines served as the de facto consular office of Nigeria. The Philippines became a destination for Nigerian students as early as the 1960s.[1]

Nigeria continues to be a hub for Overseas Filipinos primarily workers involved in the oil, gas and construction industry of the country. While Filipinos go to Nigeria for employment Nigerians go to the Philippines to pursue their higher education studies.[2] The Philippines previously imposed a deployment ban to Nigeria due to incidents of kidnappings of Filipino seafarers in the Niger Delta between 2006-2009 but has since been lifted after the Philippines recognized that the insurgency in the Delta has been properly addressed.

In 2012, the Nigerian government rued the poor trade relations it had with the government of the Philippines. Thereby calling for more active steps to be taken by both countries to further strengthen and deepen their existing ties in necessary areas. Nigerian Foreign Minister Professor Viola Onwuliri told an audience at the second edition of Nigeria–Philippines Joint Commission held in Abuja that in spite of the long-standing relations between both countries, the economic and trade relations have been quite low.[3]

In 2015, the Nigerian government established a project called the Water Supply Support Project that aims to provide drinking water, water filtration, and rainwater harvesting to the Typhoon Haiyan rehabilitation areas in there are a number of Philippine companies that have moved to Nigeria between 2012 and 2016. Some of these companies entered Nigerian market courtesy of vigorous inveatment facilitaion and promotion drive of the Nigerian Embassy in Manila Tacloban.[4]

Education

Nigerians began to go to the Philippines for their studies in the 1960s.[1]

Nigeria is cooperating with the Philippines to give opportunity to Nigerians, to study in Philippine universities which has lesser cost of education compared to American, British and Canadian universities. As of 2014, about 8,000 Nigerians are studying in the Philippines.[5]

Others

As of 2011, there were 7,240 Filipinos in Nigeria, mostly professionals and spouses of Nigerian nationals.[6]

Issues

1986 siege of Nigerian Embassy in Manila

On March 9, 1986, about 100 Nigerian students seized the Nigerian embassy in Makati, Metro Manila to protest against the diplomatic mission's alleged apathy to the plight of the then 400 Nigerians in studying in the country. They protested against the limits of remittances from their families imposed by the Nigerian government.[1][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Igbokwe, John (2011). Broken mission : nigeria's failed diplomacy in the philippines and the fight for justice and ... [S.l.]: Authorhouse. pp. xi, xv, xix, xxiii, 1–7. ISBN 1467070254. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "PHL envoy pushes more jobs for Pinoys in Nigeria". GMA News Online. 20 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Nigeria rues poor trade relations with Philippines". PhilStar.com. December 6, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Relocated Yolanda survivors now have potable water". Official Gazette. November 2, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  5. ↑ Aderemi, Kehinde (15 September 2014). "How Nigeria can benefit from Philippines, by ambassador". The Sun. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "DFA wants deployment ban to Nigeria lifted". ABS-CBN News. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Nigerian students seize Nigerian embassy". Manila: New Straits Times. 11 March 1986. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
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