FG Brokers Landmark Sister-Cities Deal Between Bayelsa and Namibe

In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, the Nigerian Federal Government has successfully facilitated a historic twinning agreement between Bayelsa State and Namibe Province of Angola, marking a new chapter in socio-economic and cultural collaboration between the two African coastal regions.

The landmark Sister-Cities development pact, signed in Luanda on Thursday, coincided with the revival of the Nigeria-Angola Bilateral Joint Economic Commission (BJEC) after a 24-year hiatus. The three-day fifth session of the BJEC meetings saw key Nigerian and Angolan officials coming together to renew and deepen bilateral ties that date back to Angola’s independence in 1975.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, led the Nigerian delegation and signed on behalf of the Federal Government, while Angola’s Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Ambassador Domingos Custodio Vieira Lopes, signed for his nation. Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri authenticated the agreement for Bayelsa, with Governor Archer Mangueira signing for Namibe.

The twinning agreement commits Bayelsa and Namibe to collaborate extensively on economic and environmental development, urban city management, and agricultural manpower training. It extends beyond economic cooperation to embrace citizenship relations between local communities, social and economic agents, as well as mutual efforts in energy, education, culture, tourism, and sports development.

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Governor Diri described the pact as a watershed moment stemming from earlier exploratory visits that identified deep similarities and complementary potentials between the two regions. Highlighting common natural resource endowments, he expressed optimism that the alliance would unlock fresh economic avenues and enhance the welfare of both states’ populations.

His Namibe counterpart, Governor Mangueira, reiterated his province’s enthusiasm for the partnership, stressing the geographical and developmental parallels the two states share. He hailed the agreement as the foundation for a milestone cooperative relationship aimed at mutual growth.

The revival of the bilateral joint commission was hailed by both Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Ambassador Lopes as a decisive step towards rekindling decades-old diplomatic and economic relations. Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu underscored that the commission provides a robust framework for expanding cooperation across trade, culture, education, and scientific ventures while promoting sustainable economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation.

Delegates presented and deliberated on 28 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) spanning diverse sectors including defense, migration, youth development, policing, technical education, and anti-corruption initiatives. These MoUs, along with the sister-cities agreement and additional economic cooperation deals—such as one between Nasarawa State and Angola’s Bengo province—reflect a renewed commitment to practical and strategic partnership.

The Nigerian government reaffirmed its political will to ensure full implementation of the agreements in alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, while expecting reciprocal commitment from Angola. This development signals a promising future for Nigeria-Angola relations and enhanced cooperation that stands to benefit their peoples economically, socially, and culturally.

The twinning deal between Bayelsa and Namibe draws on the coastal states’ shared heritage and strategic potential, promising to boost urban management, agricultural capacity building, energy collaboration, and cultural exchanges between two historically linked nations .