Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa boasting its US$ 448 billion GDP(2019). Its estimated population of about 200 million is also the largest in the African continent. In this respect, Nigeria is known as the ‘Giant of Africa.’ Nigeria produces 2.1 million barrels of crude oil a day from its territory, which is more than four times the size of the Korean Peninsula. It is blessed with 37 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and 190.4 trillion square feet of natural gas reserves, placing Nigeria at 11th and 10th in the world respectively.

Following its independence in 1960, Nigeria put an end to its prolonged military rule to pave the way for the first civilian President in 1999. A peaceful change of administrations was achieved through the election of the current President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2015, who was re-elected by the Nigerian people in 2019. Not only has Nigeria advanced its democracy, but it also has made steady progress in economic and social development.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in February 1980, Nigeria and Korea have fostered close collaborative ties. In particular, Nigeria is the only country in the African continent that hosts a Korean Cultural Center, which actively promotes cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges. Korean businesses are expanding their presence in Nigeria, mainly in resource development and construction. Bilateral trade volume reached US$1.27 billion in 2020, and Nigeria emerged as Korea's third largest trade partner among African countries. In construction, the total value of orders received by Korean companies reached US$ 15 billion in 2020, which means that Nigeria is by far the biggest construction market to Korea among Sub-Sahara African countries. Currently, Korean firms are building LNG plants, crude oil transportation and storage facilities, and working hard to expand their business activities.

Together with the Consulate Office in Lagos, the Embassy will endeavor to further develop our bilateral relations across all aspects, including political relations. The Embassy will pay particular attention to the private sector such as businesses, arts and culture, academia, and media. It is also a duty of the Embassy to protect the safety and rights of the Korean residents and visitors in Nigeria. Thank you very much for visiting our website, and we look forward to your continued interest in and support for our endeavors.