Vice President Kashim Shettima welcomed Crown Princess Victoria Désirée of Sweden to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday afternoon, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations, okay.ng reports.
The Swedish royal arrived at the presidential complex at 2:13 pm and was escorted to the Vice President’s office by Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President.
Princess Victoria’s three-day official visit to Nigeria, spanning April 7-9, aims to enhance diplomatic and economic partnerships, according to the Swedish Embassy. The visit reciprocates Shettima’s October 2024 trip to Stockholm, where the Crown Princess hosted him at the Royal Palace.
During her stay, the heir to the Swedish throne will meet with Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar and the Governor of Lagos State. A key highlight of her itinerary includes commissioning the new Swedish Trade Office in Lagos, expected to significantly boost commercial ties between the countries.
This high-profile royal visit follows recent engagements by other European royalty in Nigeria. In May 2024, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, completed a three-day visit promoting the Invictus Games, which Nigeria joined in 2022.
Previously, in November 2018, then-Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, toured Nigeria as part of a West African visit that included meetings with then-President Muhammadu Buhari and traditional rulers, focusing on peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, environmental sustainability, and youth entrepreneurship.
