Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, on Wednesday, received a high-powered Angolan delegation at the Bayelsa State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, marking a significant step in subnational diplomacy.
The delegation was led by Angola’s Executive Minister of State and Head of the Civil House, His Excellency Dionisio Manuel Da Fonseca.
Also present was Angola’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria, Dr. José Bamoquina Zau.
The visit advanced the September 2025 agreement signed in Luanda between Bayelsa State and Angola’s Namibe Province.
Fonseca said he represented President João Lourenço and aimed to strengthen bilateral ties between Angola and Nigeria, as well as Namibe and Bayelsa.
He emphasised Angola’s commitment to implementing the agreement, focusing on tourism, business, trade, and investment.
Recalling Nigeria’s historic support for Angola’s independence, Fonseca said the visit underscored enduring solidarity and a shared vision for mutual prosperity.
He affirmed readiness to ensure the agreement translates into practical cooperation and reciprocal economic growth.
Responding, Governor Diri thanked President Lourenço, the outgoing African Union Chairman, for the high-level engagement.
He reaffirmed Bayelsa’s readiness to operationalize the Memorandum of Understanding with Namibe Province.
Diri outlined priority sectors including fisheries, aquaculture, marine economy, agriculture, tourism, and seaport-linked ventures, with oil and gas identified for possible collaboration.
He noted that past Nigeria–Angola agreements often stalled, expressing confidence that the Bayelsa–Namibe pact would fast-track broader bilateral commitments.
The governor recalled attending Angola’s 50th independence anniversary in Abuja and visiting Namibe earlier, citing striking similarities between both coastal regions.
Bayelsa and Namibe, he observed, share comparable natural endowments, positioning them for strategic economic partnership and sustainable development.
