By Azuka Christopher
WED OCT 22 2025-theGBJournal| Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, delivered a review of developed world’s trade approach with Africa, underlined by years of mutual disrespect during a panel session at Reuters NEXT Gulf summit in Abu Dhabi.
Tuggar suggested that the developed world needs to reevaluate their trade approach which he describes as ”a game of Minecraft” in which they (developed world) easily secure supplies of Africa’s natural resources.
He argued that trade approach should rather be seen as ”a relationship based on mutual respect and the need for Africa to develop”
”If Africa doesn’t develop, we will continue to deal with regular migration, and all these other challenges. And so, it is in the best interest of all the countries to work together and develop together,” Tuggar warned.
Yusuf also said that Nigeria is little affected by U.S. trade tariffs put does put certain countries at a position where they ought not to be
”If you take Nigeria for instance, there is interdependence of course, but the harm comes when there is an overdependence by one party to the other. In the case of Nigeria the tariffs imposed by the U.S. do not necessarily harm Nigeria to the extent that it does others.
”First, because we are a very large country-a country of 230 million people, so we have a huge internal market. We’ve got not only size but scale.
So the ability to scale up allows us to insulate ourselves from some of the possible fallout of these tariffs. That also means we have a larger talent pool than smaller countries.
So we can absorb that, and we can of course trade with other countries which is what the President Tinubu administration is trying to emphasize-strategic autonomy.”
Yusuf was emphatic about the strength of Nigeria as the giant of Africa while highlighting the countries right and bases to engage with as many countries as possible.’
”Our relationships are based on ideological considerations, they are based on interest, beginning with our national interest-so we trade with the U.S, China, Brazil, India and our focus is not necessarily on one axis or the other.
”What we are focusing on also is integrating our markets such the ECOWAS market and also the continent as a whole.”
Ambassador Yusuf equally flaunted Nigeria’s critical mineral, rare earth resources and the country’s rich reserve of natural gas.
”We are looking for partners to develop such resources and capacity. At the same time, we are a gas rich country with 210 trillion cubic feet of gas, not to talk of oil.
So, we are a gas zone with a bit of oil in it and we consider gas a transition fuel for not just Nigeria but for several other African countries.”
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