Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has sought deeper collaboration with the European Union (EU) in key sectors including agriculture, education and the fight against gender-based violence as part of efforts to drive sustainable development in the state.
The governor hosted a delegation from the European Union, led by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, at his private residence in Ibadan on Tuesday.
The meeting focused on strengthening existing partnerships and exploring new areas of cooperation between Oyo State and the EU, particularly in agricultural development, climate change adaptation, education and social inclusion initiatives.
Other members of the delegation included Prof. Leila Ben-Amor Mathieu, Head of Section for Human Development at the European Union in Nigeria. Also present at the meeting were Dr. Debo Akande, Executive Adviser on Agribusiness and International Cooperation to the governor, and Revd. Idowu Ogedengbe, Executive Assistant on Administration.
Governor Makinde later held a private session with Ambassador Mignot to further discuss issues of mutual interest.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ambassador Mignot described the visit as his first to Oyo State and expressed the EU’s commitment to supporting initiatives that would strengthen the state’s position as one of Nigeria’s major agricultural hubs.
According to him, discussions centred extensively on agricultural development and climate change, with a focus on enhancing food production and value addition across critical sectors.
“We discussed agricultural development and climate change at length with a view to strengthening Oyo State’s profile as a critical food basket of the country,” he said.
The ambassador noted that education and efforts to combat gender-based violence also featured prominently in the talks, stressing that young people and women remain central to the EU’s development programmes.
“We also discussed education, where we are partnering, and the fight against gender-based violence.
“Youths and women are our priorities in all of the projects I have highlighted, and we are focusing on them in particular,” he stated.
Mignot further disclosed that the EU is interested in supporting the dairy and cocoa sectors in Oyo State, citing their significant potential for economic growth, job creation and value-chain development.
“We are focusing on the value chain in the dairy sector, and we want to work in the cocoa sector because it has a great potential,” he added.
The meeting is expected to pave the way for expanded cooperation between Oyo State and the European Union in areas critical to economic development, food security, and social advancement.
