Sanna Selin as the new Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria

On 24th of January, H.E. Ambassador Sanna Selin presented her credentials to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The ceremony, held at the Presidential villa, formally established her as the Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria. In addition to Nigeria, Ambassador Selin’s mandate covers Republic of Benin, Republic of Ghana and Republic of Liberia and ECOWAS.

“The meeting with H.E. the President was warm and inspiring. We discussed how to deepen our bilateral relations, especially in the field of trade that is well below its potential. I was also introducing to H.E. the President the solutions Finland could offer partnering Nigeria to cope with challenges in the field of energy, digitalization and health for example.” Ambassador Selin said after the meeting. She highlighted the historical significance of Finland-Nigeria relations dating back to 1960 when Nigeria gained her independence. Finland was among the first nations to recognize Nigeria as a republic.

Ambassador Selin joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2003 and her career in the Finnish Diplomatic Service includes diplomatic postings at the Embassies of Finland in Nicosia and New Delhi and at Finland's Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. Between her diplomatic postings abroad she has worked in different departments at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, in the fields of foreign trade and foreign and security policy, as well as EU affairs. Selin has joined the Embassy in Abuja with a lot of relevant experience in trade, having most recently served as the Director of Market Access Unit at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ Department for International Trade since 2021.

Ambassador Selin shares: “New to the Giant of Africa, I am excited to be here. It is my first time in the Western Africa region, so learning happens every single day. I am looking forward to getting know this dynamic country, its local cultures, customs and historical heritage. Nigeria has been a destination I have long wanted to visit, and I‘m grateful for the chance to discover its diverse beauty.”