EU-Nigeria relations

Subject: EU-Nigeria relations

The EU is Nigeria’s largest trading partner for petroleum and other products. Nigeria, which enjoys all ACP partnership benefits, is one of the biggest recipients of direct investment from the EU, having received over EUR 500 million in EU development aid during this parliamentary term in addition to hundreds of millions in humanitarian assistance since 2014.

Over the 2023 Christmas period, 200 Christians were murdered in Nigeria. Since 2009, according to a Nigerian NGO, upwards of 18 000 Christian churches and 2 000 Christian schools have been set on fire and more than 52 000 Christians have been murdered (source: Open Doors).

More than five million Christians have been taken away to internally displaced persons camps in Nigeria. That makes EU partner Nigeria the global champion as far as persecution of Christians is concerned.

1. To what extent is the EU strategically dependent on Nigerian oil exports?

2. What measures has the Commission taken during this parliamentary term to reduce that dependence and make development aid to Nigeria conditional on safeguarding religious minorities?

Submitted:15.1.2024

Answer given by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission (26 April 2024)

In 2022, total EU imports from Nigeria amounted to EUR 27.3 billion. 94% of these EU total imports from Nigeria were in mineral fuels, worth EUR 25.7 billion.

In the global ranking of the same year, Nigeria was the 10th partner for European imports of mineral fuels and oils (HS27), representing 3.1% of EU total imports in value and 3.5% in volume. HS27 imports from Nigeria have been slightly decreasing in the last five years; it was EU sixth partner in 2018, with 4.9% in value or 4% in volume of EU total imports in mineral fuels and oils.

In general terms, as part of its energy security policy, the EU seeks to diversify oil imports. In this regard Member States are holding sufficient amount of oil stocks as required by EU legislation. Moreover, the EU continues to decrease its energy consumption and to diversify its suppliers, including for mineral fuels.

The EU’s approach to development encompasses all human rights. This approach is premised on human rights principles and standards being both a means for and a goal of sustainable and inclusive development.

Freedom of religion and belief is a priority in the EU Human Rights Strategy for Nigeria (1) and was discussed at the last human rights dialogue in February 2023 (2).

1 ∙ ⸱ https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/nigeria/nigeria-eu-annual-report-human-rights-and-democracy-world-2021-country-updates_en?s=114

2 ∙ ⸱ Please see answer to the Written Question E-000108/2024 for more details on related projects, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2024-

000108-ASW_EN.html