On 29–30 July 2025, Ms. Sasirit Tangulrat, Director-General of the Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs, together with Lieutenant Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), led a delegation of agricultural experts from Kasetsart University, including Prof. Dr. Apichart Vanavichit, Advisor to the Director of the Rice Science Center; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chanate Malumpong, Associate Dean for Research, Academic Services, and International Relations, Faculty of Agriculture, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; and Mr. Thawatchai Koetsuk, Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Abuja, Nigeria.

The visit aimed to enhance development cooperation between Thailand and Nigeria across a wide range of sectors. The delegation held meetings with senior officials from key Nigerian institutions, including the Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, senior representatives from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and commissioners from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Discussions focused on potential areas of cooperation such as human resource development, rice cultivation and management, agricultural water use, cassava and sugarcane production, and the promotion of agricultural mechanization for small and medium-scale farmers.

The Thai agricultural experts also conducted field visits to a rice farm near Abuja, the Tractors/Agricultural Equipment Demonstration Center, and a fully integrated rice mill to assess local conditions and gather data for future collaborative initiatives. The Nigerian side also expressed interest in exploring further cooperation with Thailand in areas such as solar-powered fruit drying (Parabola Solar Dome) and aquaculture development.

This visit represents a significant step in advancing Thailand’s proactive role in development cooperation and in further strengthening the long-standing and sustainable partnership between Thailand and Nigeria. It also lays the groundwork for more concrete collaboration moving forward.