Nigeria Establishes Diplomatic Relations with St. Lucia

Nigeria and the tiny island nation of Saint Lucia have formally established diplomatic relations, marking a significant milestone in the history of both nations. President Bola Tinubu announced the development during a special joint session of the Senate and House of Assembly of Saint Lucia, describing it as a “symbolic bridge that will provide a gateway in fostering closer ties between us.”

In his address, President Tinubu proposed creating a Joint Commission or Political Consultation Agreement to structure cooperation between Nigeria and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). He also announced plans to offer full scholarships to OECS students to promote cultural understanding and strengthen bonds between Nigeria and the Eastern Caribbean states.

The Nigerian leader emphasized the deep historical and cultural bonds between Nigeria and the OECS, calling for greater people-to-people engagement. He declared Nigeria’s openness to visa waivers for OECS diplomatic and official passport holders, urging reciprocal gestures to facilitate smoother official travel and closer institutional cooperation.

“I respectfully urge a reciprocal gesture to enable smoother movement of officials and foster closer institutional cooperation,” President Tinubu said, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to deepening ties with OECS and Caribbean nations anchored in shared African heritage and Pan-African ideals.

On economic diplomacy and trade, President Tinubu offered OECS access to Africa’s largest market and called for joint ventures and deeper commercial ties. He advocated enhanced trade and investment partnerships, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, and services, that would position Nigeria as a supplier and destination for OECS exports.

The President also proposed a maritime university collaboration and extending Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps programme to OECS countries. He emphasized Nigeria’s readiness to provide skilled education, healthcare, and engineering professionals to support regional capacity-building.

President Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia is part of Nigeria’s renewed efforts to engage with the Eastern Caribbean states and leverage shared African heritage and Pan-African ideals. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Saint Lucia underscores the commitment of both nations to strengthen ties and promote cooperation