By Kolawole Ojebisi
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday held a closed-door bilateral meeting with his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Julius Bio, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Bio arrived at the forecourt of the Villa at 12:22 pm in the company of the bagpipers of the Presidential Guards Brigade.
He was received by the President’s Chief of Staff, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, who later ushered him into the recesses of the Villa from the prying eyes of the press .
Nigeria and Sierra Leone have maintained strong diplomatic relations since their respective independences in October 1960 and April 1961.
Both nations are active members of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union and have collaborated on initiatives aimed at promoting peace, stability, and development in the region.
Between 1991 and 2002, Nigeria played a pivotal role in supporting Sierra Leone during its civil war when it led the ECOWAS Monitoring Group in peacekeeping efforts to restore stability in the region.
Nigerian forces were also instrumental in combating rebel factions and reinstating the democratically elected government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah after a military coup in 1997.
This led to the deployment of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone in 1999 which assisted in disarmament and peace-building processes.
However, reports say trade between the two countries has fluctuated over recent years.
A 2023 estimate valued Nigeria’s exports to Sierra Leone at approximately $5.55 million.
The primary exports included fertilizers, miscellaneous edible preparations, electrical and electronic equipment, glass and glassware and coffee, tea, mate, and spices.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s main exports to Nigeria include animal and vegetable fats and oils, machinery and boilers, rubber products and fish and crustaceans.
