The Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyolyshev, has denied any government-backed programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in the war in Ukraine, insisting that any such activity, if it exists, is not connected with the Russian state.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Podyolyshev responded to reports alleging that some Nigerians were recruited under the pretext of security jobs in Russia and later deployed to the conflict after brief training.
‘There is no government-supported programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine. If there are illegal organisations or individuals trying to recruit Nigerians by unlawful means, this is not connected with the Russian state’, he said.
The ambassador added that Moscow was prepared to investigate credible information.
‘If anybody has this information, we are ready to send it to Russian law enforcement authorities so they can investigate those cases’, he noted.
Podyolyshev also questioned Western media reports, including a recent CNN investigation, which suggested 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’, he said.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians may be present in the conflict zone, the ambassador maintained that there is 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 added.
On bilateral security and military cooperation, Podyolyshev stated that Russia and Nigeria were discussing closer defence ties, 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 as much as the Nigerian side wishes. This strengthens Nigeria’s ability to fight terrorism and piracy’, he said.
The ambassador also called for stronger economic engagement, noting that the last session of the Russia–Nigeria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held about 10 years 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.
Podyolyshev described Nigeria as a strategic partner and potential global centre of influence.
‘Nigeria is one of the key states on the continent and the leading link in West Africa. It has major political and economic weight in Africa and globally.
‘Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and one of the continent’s largest economies. It is a major OPEC member and a key regional energy player’, he said.
He also praised Nigeria’s regional leadership.
‘Politically, Nigeria is a regional leader, playing a pivotal role in security in West Africa and making a significant contribution to the work of the African Union.
‘For Russia, Nigeria is a partner of strategic importance. Cooperation with Nigeria largely shapes our prospects in West Africa’, Podyolyshev said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s influence within the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, he recalled its peacekeeping roles in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. ‘Nigeria showed readiness to take responsibility for regional stability. Within ECOWAS, Nigeria is the core of the organisation in terms of population, economy and military potential’, he added.
On bilateral relations, Podyolyshev noted that Russia–Nigeria ties, dating back to Soviet times, were entering a new phase. ‘On 25 November 2025, we marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Today, bilateral cooperation is entering a new phase, driven by our mutual wish to diversify international ties’, he said.
According to him, education and energy remained key pillars of cooperation.
‘Thousands of Nigerians studied in the Soviet Union in engineering, medicine and other fields, and this continues today.
‘Each year, Nigerian students enter Russian universities on state quotas. Russian diplomas are highly valued in Nigeria’, he said.
In the energy sector, Podyolyshev said the two countries were working on long-term projects, including nuclear cooperation.
‘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 added.
Looking ahead, Podyolyshev described Nigeria as a potential global power.
‘Demography, resources and regional leadership give Nigeria a real chance to become one of the global centres of power in the multipolar world.
‘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.
He linked Russia’s foreign-policy vision to a broader push for a multipolar international order.
‘An international order free from dictatorship and neo-colonialism creates conditions for stability, development and security for all’, Podyolyshev concluded.
