Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, led a high-level delegation on a tour of UROVESA – a renowned Spanish manufacturer of military and industrial vehicles.
The visit focused on exploring potential collaboration in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology for powering Nigeria’s defence and industrial vehicle fleets.
Tuggar was accompanied on the visit by key figures, including Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Presidential CNG Initiative representative, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi; Engr. Henry Oki; and Special Assistant for Gas Business and Investment to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas).
The delegation engaged in detailed discussions with UROVESA executives.
During the visit, Tuggar emphasised the longstanding trade ties between Nigeria and Spain, stating that Spain remains one of Nigeria’s top trading partners, with Nigerian crude oil exports reaching $3.64 billion in 2023.
He lauded UROVESA’s innovative approach to producing all-terrain, armoured, tactical, and logistical vehicles, and expressed Nigeria’s growing interest in CNG-powered solutions.
Tuggar highlighted Nigeria’s business-friendly economic reforms under the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which had positioned the country as a prime destination for investment in clean energy technologies.
The discussions provided a valuable platform for further exploration of future collaborations between UROVESA and Nigeria’s Ministry of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) in CNG-powered vehicle production and supply.
According to a statement by the foreign affairs minister’s spokesman, Alkasim AbdulKadir, the engagement not only reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to a green energy future but also laid the groundwork for modernising the country’s defence and industrial fleets with environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy solutions.
AbdulKadir said the promising outcome of the discussions set the stage for a strategic partnership that was expected to foster sustainable innovation and drive economic growth for both Nigeria and UROVESA.
