Long history, diverse cultures, vast human and natural resources, vibrant civil society and media, military and economic power but also social contradictions, inequalities and conflicts make Nigeria one of the most fascinating and challenging countries of Africa. Nigeria, located in West Africa, with a population of more than 140 million people is the most populous nation in Africa and the world's 9^th most populous nation. In spite of its oil wealth (the world's eighth- largest oil exporter), Nigeria is the country, after India and China, with the highest number of poor people. Its large population, long periods of military misrule, mismanagement of resources and poor governance have led to widespread poverty and low socio-economic indicators. Nigeria ranked 158/182 in the 2009 UN Human Development report. Nigeria has never been an aid-dependent country; in 2006 it settled its large external debt and began accumulating large foreign reserves currently used to fight the global economic crisis.

Key issues in EU-Nigeria relations

Nigeria 's own financial resources from oil and gas export far outweigh those that can be provided by donors. However, external aid could play a role in enabling the authorities to make better use of their own resources particularly by supporting government's initiative to improve governance.

In the last decade the profile of the EC-Nigeria cooperation has been steadily increasing.

The 10^th EDF programme for Nigeria for the period 2008-2013 was launched in November 2009. The new development cooperation strategy formulated jointly with the Federal Republic of Nigeria has an allocation of € 677 million for the period 2008 – 2013 to fund programmes and projects in three focal areas: peace and security; governance and human rights; trade and regional integration and key development issues such as climate change, health, cultural, scientific and technical cooperation as non focal areas.

The joint cooperation strategy devotes significant attention to the issues of poverty, governance and development in the Niger Delta region and thus sends a clear supportive message to attempts to broker peace. The biggest part of the cooperation strategy focuses on governance reforms at all three levels of government, the fight against corruption and support to electoral reform in view of the 2011-2015 electoral cycle. The strategy also aims to encourage improved oversight and monitoring capacity of non-state actors and mass media. The trade, regional integration and energy security will receive new impetus with the objective to allow Nigeria to improve on its competitiveness, to participate fully and meaningfully in regional trade and integration and to assist in its integration into the world economy. Environment and climate change are also among the new areas of cooperation under the 10^th EDF.

For illustration, the broad objectives underlying the 10^th EDF intervention include the following:

• Continue some of the key 9^th EDF activities (support institutional reform, fight against corruption, support to health sector reform, routine immunization, strengthen local development in the Niger Delta).
• EU resources must have levy on national resources and should be utilised to improve the way Nigerian institutions use their own resources.
• Competition among States to secure donors' aid can be a reform factor: EU funding should focus on encouraging and rewarding good performance, spreading best practice, and promoting respect for the rule of law.
• Violent conflicts are barriers to development. In areas such as the Niger Delta, aid should be used to reduce and prevent violent conflict. This should be accompanied by political engagement to promote dialogue among stakeholders, reconciliation and peace.
• Regional integration is crucial to a less oil-dependent future of Nigeria.

The resulting initiatives could include:

• Projects to strengthen institutional reforms and good governance;
• Support to institutions meant to protect individual rights and ensure public welfare;
• Continuation of programmes both for polio eradication and routine immunisation;
• Projects in the Niger Delta region and support for reconciliation initiatives;
• Support for Nigeria's international mandates on conflict prevention;
• Support the Economic Partnership Agreement process, to boost non-oil growth via regional integration and support efforts to better understand and manage migration flows;

New initiatives to enhance relations between Nigeria and the EU through cultural activities (essay competitions, exhibitions, drama events, concerts, etc.). Cooperation with the Nigerian thriving movie industry and TV will also be considered particularly to convey through movies educational messages concerning: civic education, environmental education, health (HIV/AIDS and other transmittable diseases, malaria, etc.), conflict prevention and inter-ethnic understanding and dialogue, migration, trade, etc.

NIGERIA-EU Ministerial Troika Meeting, Prague, 9 June 2009, Joint Communiqué

NIGERIA-EU Ministerial Troika Meeting, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 20 May 2008, Joint CommuniquéAll available translations.