Federal Government praises Poland for helping Nigerian students displaced by Ukraine war

The Federal Government has commended the Republic of Poland for its support of Nigerian students who were displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war, describing the assistance as a strong example of bilateral solidarity.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the remarks while receiving Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy, Krzysztof Gawkowski, along with his delegation at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to an official statement, an estimated 6,000 Nigerians reside in Poland, many of them for educational purposes. The minister noted that education remains a vital pillar of relations between both countries.

“We thank Poland for supporting Nigerian students affected by the conflict in Ukraine. This assistance has ensured that many young Nigerians could continue their studies despite the disruption,” she said.

She added that through the Polish-Nigerian technical and scientific exchange programme, several Nigerians have studied in Polish universities, while Polish lecturers and scientists have also taught in Nigerian institutions.

The minister reaffirmed diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Poland, which began on May 30, 1962, and stated that both countries would expand cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, agriculture, defence, infrastructure, education, culture, and tourism.

She also highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to combating terrorism, piracy, and transnational crime, calling for deeper collaboration on intelligence sharing, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism. She urged the speedy conclusion of a proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Cooperation.

The minister further noted that economic reforms under the current administration have improved the ease of doing business, enhanced fiscal transparency, eased fund repatriation, and attracted foreign investment, creating incentives for Polish firms to expand in Nigeria.

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski described Nigeria as a strategic partner and one of Africa’s leading economic and technology hubs. He reaffirmed Poland’s commitment to cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and private sector development, and commended Nigeria’s role in regional stability, particularly in the fight against terrorism.

He said several Polish companies are looking to expand into Nigeria’s digital and infrastructure sectors and invited Nigerian firms to explore opportunities in Poland. He also expressed Poland’s readiness to deepen collaboration on emerging global challenges, including disinformation and cyber threats.

Both sides agreed to strengthen political consultations, economic and technological partnerships, and people-to-people relations.