President Bola Tinubu and Paul Kagame, his Rwandan counterpart, held talks aimed at strengthening bilateral ties as both countries seek to deepen regional cooperation.
Tinubu met Kagame at the Urugwiro presidential villa, a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, said.
The Nigerian leader is in Kigali for the Africa CEO Forum which begins on Thursday,
According to the statement, Tinubu relayed that Nigeria will seriously consider reciprocating Rwanda’s 30-day visa-free status in the spirit of pan-Africanism.
Rwanda is one of a handful of African states that grants citizens of African Union (AU)-member countries a 30-day visa-free stay.
The AU’s Agenda 2063 and the African passport initiative advocate continental-free movement, but implementation remains partial.
Tinubu and Kagame exchanged ideas towards operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) between both countries, another mechanism that focuses on removing trade barriers for goods and services and supports mobility where it helps trade.
In addition, both leaders emphasised the importance of reviving the Joint Permanent Ministerial Commission (JPMC), originally signed by both countries in 2021, as a vital platform for advancing their shared objectives.
They agreed that Nigeria should host the next meeting of the commission.
The two presidents also discussed the activation of pending memoranda of understanding (MOUs) in areas of tourism, illicit drugs, and anti-corruption, Onanuga added.
Last year, Nigeria established an air cargo corridor with Uganda Airways.
The statement said discussions with RwandAir, to facilitate greater export opportunities for Nigerian businesses across the continent, are ongoing.
The Cable
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