Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that the visit to Nigeria by his Colombian counterpart, Francia Márquez, alongside their bilateral engagements, will open a new chapter for both countries.

Márquez, accompanied by her spouse Rafael Pinillo Ocoró, arrived in Abuja on Saturday for a three-day official visit, leading a delegation of cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and business leaders.

The two nations are expected to hold discussions across key areas aimed at strengthening ties.

Speaking on Sunday night during a gala dinner in honour of the Colombian delegation at the Presidential Villa, Shettima said Márquez’s presence in Nigeria marked “a new dawn.”

He described the visit as proof that Nigeria and Colombia are about to enter an era of fraternal union that would foster “deeper political cooperation, bolder economic ventures, and richer people-to-people exchanges.”

Conveying the goodwill of President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to the visitors, Shettima said the driving force behind the engagements was a shared interest in the destiny of both countries.

He called the visit “historic,” adding: “Tomorrow’s engagements will be the gateway to a new chapter. More than ever, Nigeria is inspired to plant the seeds of trust, water them with dialogue, and nurture them into fruits of prosperity that our children and grandchildren shall one day harvest. For 51 years, Nigeria and Colombia have journeyed side by side. We are bound not only by the ties of diplomacy but also by the deeper call of shared humanity. We have watched each other across oceans, we have spoken through third countries, and yet our hearts have always known that the distance between us is only geography.”

The Vice President then raised a toast to stronger ties between both nations, praying that the visit would yield the “fruits earnestly desired” by Nigeria and Colombia.

On her part, Vice President Márquez said her visit to Nigeria was strategic and historic, underscoring the shared heritage and values between the two countries. As a woman of African descent, she said her mission was to strengthen cooperation in social justice, peace, tourism, health, culture, and education.

She also pledged that Colombia would leverage its position in South America to deepen trade with Africa and improve diplomatic ties with Nigeria. Márquez further conveyed the condolences of President Gustavo Petro to the government and people of Nigeria over the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Ibrahim Hadejia, described the gala dinner as a celebration of the “homecoming” of the Colombian Vice President and her delegation. He highlighted the shared values and potentials of both nations, stressing that if fully harnessed, they could positively transform key sectors of their economies.

Hadejia added that the gala showcased the richness of Nigerian and Colombian cultures in arts, music, and cuisine, reinforcing that diplomacy between both countries “goes beyond policy to embrace cultural exchange.”