Russia has rejected claims that it is running any government-backed programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in the war in Ukraine, insisting that any such activity, if it exists, is not linked to the Russian state.
The Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyolyshev, addressed the allegations on Tuesday in Abuja while responding to reports and videos suggesting that Nigerians and other Africans were lured to Russia with promises of security jobs and later deployed to the frontlines after brief training.
“There is no government-supported programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine,” Podyolyshev said. “If there are illegal organisations or individuals trying to recruit Nigerians by unlawful means, this is not connected with the Russian state.”
He said Moscow was willing to investigate any credible information brought to its attention.
“If anybody has this information, we are ready to send it to Russian law enforcement authorities so they can investigate those cases,” he added.
The ambassador also pushed back against reports by Western media, including a recent CNN investigation, which alleged that Nigerians were deceived into joining the conflict.
“You are receiving information from Western sources. Their main task is to demonise Russia. If you want to know the real situation, you should send journalists to Russia to understand what is really happening,” Podyolyshev said.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians may be present in the conflict zone, he maintained that there was no official Russian policy behind their involvement.
“There are such Nigerians, I know, but there is no government-supported programme to recruit them. If there are agencies, including Russian agencies, violating Russian law, we are ready to transmit this information to our law enforcement authorities,” he said.
Defence, Economic and Strategic Ties
On broader relations, Podyolyshev said Russia and Nigeria were discussing closer defence and security cooperation, including arms supplies and military training.
“We are discussing the possibilities of supplying Russian weaponry and training military personnel in Russia, maybe here in Nigeria. We are ready to develop cooperation with Nigeria in the military field to the extent the Nigerian side wishes,” he said, noting that such cooperation would strengthen Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and piracy.
He also called for deeper economic engagement, pointing out that the last meeting of the Russia–Nigeria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held about a decade ago.
“We need the support of our governments if we want to realise some big projects. Without that support, it is very difficult to move forward,” he said.
Nigeria as Strategic Partner
Podyolyshev described Nigeria as a key strategic partner for Russia and a potential global centre of influence in a multipolar world.
“When we speak about Africa, we must speak about Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the key states on the continent and the leading link in West Africa,” he said, citing Nigeria’s population size, economic strength, OPEC membership and regional leadership.
He praised Nigeria’s role in regional security and peacekeeping efforts within ECOWAS and the African Union, recalling interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
“For Russia, Nigeria is a partner of strategic importance. Cooperation with Nigeria largely shapes our prospects in West Africa,” he said.
Education, Energy and Multipolar World
The ambassador noted that education remains a cornerstone of bilateral ties, with thousands of Nigerians having studied in the former Soviet Union and many still enrolling annually in Russian universities on state scholarships.
In the energy sector, he disclosed ongoing cooperation on long-term projects, including nuclear energy.
“An intergovernmental agreement has been signed on building a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology in Nigeria with a research reactor and, in the longer term, a nuclear power plant,” he said.
Looking ahead, Podyolyshev said Nigeria’s demographics, resources and leadership position it to become a global power.
“Russia is interested in Nigeria’s rise, and as Nigeria’s influence grows, the scope for a global Russia–Nigeria partnership will expand,” he said, adding that Moscow supports a multipolar international order “free from dictatorship and neo-colonialism.”
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