Embassy of Japan in Nigeria Strengthens Partnership with UNDP Ahead of TICAD 9
2025/11/27
On 12 August 2025, Ambassador SUZUKI Hideo received Ms. Elsie Gyekyewaa Attafuah, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, and her team at the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria. The courtesy call took place just one week before the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, further deepening the longstanding collaboration between Japan and UNDP in Nigeria.
Ms. Attafuah expressed profound appreciation for Japan’s continued support, particularly through the supplementary budget and development initiatives in North-East Nigeria. She highlighted upcoming UNDP flagship projects, including the establishment of innovation and knowledge economy hubs in Nigerian universities (with the first “University Innovation Pod (UniPod)” scheduled to launch in Nasarawa State by September 2025), the newly inaugurated Artificial Intelligence (AI) laboratory in Lagos, and strengthened cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost trade and investment.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to sustainable development in Nigeria and briefed the delegation on recent Japanese initiatives totaling over USD 30 million in support of Nigerian and Pan-African start-ups, environmental start-ups through JICA, and the digital economy. Both sides explored concrete opportunities for collaboration in fintech, SME risk-mitigation mechanisms, energy access, and the ambitious goal of establishing UniPods in all 36 states of Nigeria.
The meeting concluded with a shared vision to accelerate investment and digital transformation in Nigeria by leveraging Japan’s expertise and UNDP’s extensive network. The Embassy of Japan looks forward to strengthening their collaboration with UNDP, both at TICAD 9 and beyond, in support of Nigeria’s inclusive and sustainable growth.
Ms. Attafuah expressed profound appreciation for Japan’s continued support, particularly through the supplementary budget and development initiatives in North-East Nigeria. She highlighted upcoming UNDP flagship projects, including the establishment of innovation and knowledge economy hubs in Nigerian universities (with the first “University Innovation Pod (UniPod)” scheduled to launch in Nasarawa State by September 2025), the newly inaugurated Artificial Intelligence (AI) laboratory in Lagos, and strengthened cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost trade and investment.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to sustainable development in Nigeria and briefed the delegation on recent Japanese initiatives totaling over USD 30 million in support of Nigerian and Pan-African start-ups, environmental start-ups through JICA, and the digital economy. Both sides explored concrete opportunities for collaboration in fintech, SME risk-mitigation mechanisms, energy access, and the ambitious goal of establishing UniPods in all 36 states of Nigeria.
The meeting concluded with a shared vision to accelerate investment and digital transformation in Nigeria by leveraging Japan’s expertise and UNDP’s extensive network. The Embassy of Japan looks forward to strengthening their collaboration with UNDP, both at TICAD 9 and beyond, in support of Nigeria’s inclusive and sustainable growth.