Foreign affairs minister Yusuf Tuggar says Nigeria is working to deepen bilateral relations with the U.S. in accordance with Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust under President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tuggar stated this at the 248th U.S. independence anniversary dinner organised by the U.S. Embassy in Abuja on Tuesday.

The minister said deepening Nigeria-U.S. ties would further cement their many years of cooperation and friendship.

He noted that the signing of the Nigeria-U.S. Binational Cooperation is one of the major foreign policy objectives of the Tinubu administration.

Mr Tuggar said Nigeria-U.S. bilateral relations “has been nurtured over the years” with various cooperations that have strengthened the ties.

He added, “Since our independence, we have been two nations that have continued to watch our friendship, bond, and cooperation closely. One of the major developments that happened this year was the Nigeria-U.S. Binational Cooperation agreement, and it is a testament of how important and cordial our relationship is.

“The Secretary of State just left Nigeria not too long ago. And to ensure that we had a smooth running, the Deputy Secretary of State, who had just been confirmed, hurried to Nigeria to ensure that we had a very successful Binational.”

The minister said both countries were working on a few other agreements and cooperations toward strengthening them.

“We are also looking into security, which is significant to Africa as a continent, particularly Nigeria. We are looking at strengthening the security bond between us; we are thankful for all the security cooperation that we are receiving,” he said.

Mr Tuggar also expressed Nigeria’s gratitude to the U.S. for the various interventions in the country’s health sector challenges.

U.S. Embassy’s charge d’Affairs David Greene described Nigeria-U.S. relations as a “whirlwind in the best way.”

The U.S. envoy disclosed that 700,000 Nigerians are living and working in the U.S., saying it underscores the significance of the U.S.-Nigeria people-to-people ties, which is the bedrock of the relationship.

(NAN)