MON AUG 24 2026-theGBJournal| Thailand is seeking to deepen its economic and diplomatic engagement with Nigeria as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow visits Abuja and Lagos this week, with bilateral merchandise trade already approaching $700 million a year.
Sihasak is scheduled to visit Nigeria and Ethiopia from August 25 to 29 as Bangkok seeks to broaden its engagement with Africa under the Thailand–Africa Initiative and advance an economic diplomacy agenda focused on trade and investment.
The visit comes against a backdrop of a trading relationship that remains significant but relatively concentrated. Nigeria exported about $457.7 million of goods to Thailand in 2025, according to UN Comtrade data, while imports from Thailand stood at about $223.8 million, putting two-way merchandise trade at roughly $681.4 million.
Nigeria’s exports to Thailand were dominated by mineral fuels and oils, which accounted for about $455.7 million of the 2025 total.
Thai exports to Nigeria were more diversified, led by plastics, machinery, cereals, aluminium and rubber products.
The composition of trade underscores the opportunity — and the challenge — for both governments.
Nigeria’s sales to Thailand remain heavily dependent on energy commodities, while Thai exports are concentrated in manufactured and processed goods.
The push for closer economic ties therefore offers scope to expand trade beyond the existing commodity structure into manufacturing, agriculture, technology and other investment-linked sectors.
In Abuja, Sihasak is scheduled to meet Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Omar Alieu Touray, president of the Economic Community of West African States commission.
The meetings are expected to address bilateral and regional cooperation, while positioning Thailand’s outreach within a broader effort to strengthen commercial links with emerging African markets.
The Thai minister will also lead a business delegation to the Thailand–Nigeria Business Forum in Lagos, giving the visit a distinctly commercial dimension.
The forum is expected to provide a platform for companies from both countries to explore opportunities for trade, investment and partnerships.
For Thailand, Nigeria offers access to one of Africa’s largest consumer markets and a strategic gateway to West Africa.
For Nigeria, deeper engagement with Thailand could provide opportunities to attract Asian capital, expand non-oil exports and develop commercial links with Southeast Asian supply chains.
The visit therefore comes as an effort to move the relationship beyond a largely commodity-driven trade relationship towards a broader economic partnership — an ambition that will be tested by whether diplomatic commitments can translate into new investment and more diversified trade.
This official visit to Nigeria and Ethiopia marks the inaugural official visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to the African continent, reflecting the Thai Government’s commitment to advancing strategic initiatives and elevating bilateral relations with its partners in Africa.
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