Kazakh Prime Minister Meets Nigerian Monarch

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with the King of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to discuss wheat supplies and potential trade routes, Orda.kz reports.

The meeting took place on June 2 and marked a notable diplomatic engagement with the spiritual and political leader of the Yoruba people, one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups, numbering around 40 million. 

Talks centered on expanding trade and investment, particularly in agriculture, logistics, geological exploration, and energy. A key topic was the potential for Kazakh wheat exports to Nigeria, alongside discussions on using the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) as a gateway to West African markets.

Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with African countries reached $789.2 million in 2024, a 15.4% increase year-on-year.

Still, ties with Nigeria remain limited.

With Nigeria's population rapidly growing, interest in wheat imports is rising. In return, Kazakhstan could secure access to rare metals, an area where bilateral talks already began during a February visit.

Kazakhstan has been steadily strengthening diplomatic and economic ties across Africa, despite relatively low trade volumes. In the first quarter of 2025, Kazakhstan imported $29.6 thousand worth of goods from Nigeria and exported $31 thousand.

African nations carry strategic geopolitical weight, with 54 votes in the UN and surging demand for food products, making the region a focus for Kazakh foreign policy.

Nigeria is just one of several African countries with which Kazakhstan sees mutual benefit. For instance, trade with Rwanda, centered around tantalum ore, has remained consistent, albeit asymmetrical.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov