Nigeria Committed to Driving Africa’s Economic Transformation, Unity - Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu

Nigeria will continue to position itself as a catalyst for Africa’s economic transformation and continental integration, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has said.

Speaking at an event in Abuja, on Monday night, to mark Africa Day 2026, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, would pursue policies that strengthen sustainable development and enhance regional cooperation.

This year’s Africa Day was commemorated under the theme: "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation System to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

The event was organized by the Forum of African Missions to mark the 63rd anniversary of the formation of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union, in 1963.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu's Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr Magnus Eze, quoted the minister as saying that, "Africa Day is far more than a ceremonial observance,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said. “It is a powerful symbol of the enduring vision and courage of our founding fathers, who in 1963 established the OAU with the noble objective of promoting solidarity, safeguarding sovereignty, and advancing the political and economic liberation of our continent.”

She said the theme drew attention to water and sanitation as fundamental to human development, noting that while water is central to health, food production, industry, energy, and environmental sustainability, millions of Africans still lacked reliable access to clean water and adequate sanitation.

“This challenge not only threatens lives and livelihoods, but also undermines economic development and social stability,” she said.

The minister stressed that Africa’s progress depended on unity, cultural cooperation, and collective action on shared challenges such as insecurity, economic inequality, climate vulnerability, and global trade imbalances.

“Our progress as a continent depends on our ability to act together, to speak with one voice, and to confront shared challenges with shared solutions,” she said. “Unity remains our most powerful tool.”

She called for deliberate and coordinated investment in resilient water infrastructure, stronger regional cooperation over shared water resources, adoption of innovation and technology, and policies that guarantee equitable access.

The minister said the theme aligned with Agenda 2063, the African Union’s blueprint for inclusive growth and sustainable development, and urged practical action and strategic partnerships to achieve it.

“As we celebrate Africa Day today, let us renew our faith in Africa. Let us strengthen our bonds of unity, cherish and preserve our cultural heritage, and recommit ourselves to building a continent where every citizen has access to dignity, opportunity, and prosperity,” she said.