EU announces €288m grant to Nigeria’s healthcare, agriculture, and digital sectors

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ABUJA, NIGERIA (Agency Report) — March 24, 2026 — The European Union (EU) delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has announced €288 million in support for Nigeria’s healthcare, agriculture, finance, migration, climate, and digital public infrastructure sectors.

The announcement was made at the EU-Nigeria Ministerial Conference in Abuja under the EU-Nigeria Partnership. Stefano Signore, Director-General for International Partnerships at the European Commission, said the project represents accelerated investment under the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy. He noted that health and agriculture are priorities, aimed at improving standards, infrastructure, local manufacturing, and inclusion. He also emphasised stronger cooperation on sustainable migration, providing better life options for returnee migrants.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, said the initiative builds on the 2023 EU-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue, which launched the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy in Nigeria. Bagudu described the partnership as a deepening of ties anchored on mutual respect, shared prosperity, and sustainable investment. Represented by Minister of State Doris Anite-Uzoka, he highlighted reforms under President Bola Tinubu to stabilise the economy, strengthen fiscal sustainability, and create an enabling environment for private-sector growth.

Bank of Industry (BoI) CEO Olasupo Olusi said the partnership with the European Investment Bank channels long-term financing into healthcare and agriculture, central to Tinubu’s agenda for resilience and inclusive growth. Finland’s Under Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Jarno Syrjaia, announced Finland’s lead role in strengthening Nigeria’s digital public services and training three million technical talents. Finland’s HAUS and Estonia’s ESTDEV will implement the initiative, bringing European expertise in digital government and innovation.

Uche Amaonwu, Country Director of the Gates Foundation, stressed the importance of supporting health manufacturing. He praised the BoI and PVAC for mobilising financing facilities to meet the needs of Nigerian health manufacturers.

Breakdown of the €288m package includes: €23m for digital infrastructure, €108m in grants and loans to government, €50m for healthcare manufacturing, €5m for health and nutrition training, €85m for agribusiness lending, €1m for climate/agriculture expertise, and €16m for migration governance.

The initiative underscores a modern partnership focused on shared prosperity, sustainable investment, and resilience.