The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce that the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Spain, His Excellency Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, PhD, formally presented his Letters of Credence to His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain at a ceremony held at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, on Monday, 14 September 2026.
The presentation of Letters of Credence formally marks the commencement of Ambassador Ikpeazu’s diplomatic assignment in the Kingdom of Spain and represents an important milestone in the longstanding and mutually beneficial relations between Nigeria and Spain.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Ikpeazu conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to His Majesty the King, the Government and the people of the Kingdom of Spain.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to further strengthening and broadening the cordial and longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries. He emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation across key areas, including trade and investment, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, education, culture, tourism, security and people-to-people relations.
Ambassador Ikpeazu expressed Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with the Spanish Government, relevant institutions and the private sector to unlock new opportunities for mutually beneficial economic partnerships, increase trade and investment flows, as well as deepen institutional, commercial and private-sector collaboration between Nigeria and Spain.
Following the presentation of Letters of Credence, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Madrid hosted a vin d’honneur (reception) in honour of Ambassador Ikpeazu.
The reception brought together, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Spanish Government, business and cultural stakeholders, friends and associates of Nigeria and representatives of the Nigerian community in Spain. The occasion provided an opportunity to celebrate the enduring friendship between Nigeria and Spain, and to engage with key stakeholders on prospects for further deepening bilateral cooperation.
Speaking at the reception, Ambassador Ikpeazu expressed his appreciation to the Government and people of Spain for the warm welcome extended to him. He reiterated his commitment to advancing the interests of Nigeria while further consolidating the excellent relations between the two countries.
He noted that the relations between the two countries offer significant opportunities for expanded cooperation, and called for a more robust and sustained bilateral partnership extended to public institutions, the private sector, academia, cultural organisations, civil societies and communities.
The Ambassador also underscored the need to review and revitalize existing bilateral agreements, with a view to making them more responsive to contemporary economic and diplomatic priorities.
In particular, he highlighted the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Spain, stressing the importance of facilitating direct air connectivity between the two countries in order to enhance economic partnerships, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Ambassador Ikpeazu acknowledged the valuable contributions of the Nigerian community in Spain, describing Nigerians resident in the country as an important bridge for the strengthening of understanding, friendship and cooperation between the peoples of both countries.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Embassy of Nigeria in Madrid, Spain, to promoting and protecting the interests of Nigerian nationals in the country, and pledged to pursue policies and programmes that strengthen their engagement with the Mission and enhance their contributions to Nigeria-Spain relations.
The Embassy of Nigeria in Madrid remains committed to working closely with the Government of Spain, the diplomatic community, the private sector, development partners, and the Nigerian community, to translate the strong goodwill between Nigeria and Spain into concrete outcomes that advance shared prosperity and deepen people-to-people ties.