Abuja — Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, was Tuesday on hand to receive the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Tuggar received the high ranking diplomat at the Presidential Wing of the airport after his plane touched down in Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

The brief airport reception and the exchange of pleasantries was led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

Blinken is expected, during his visit, to hold bilateral talks with a focus on deepening democracy in the West African subregion, strengthening of trade relations and security cooperation.

A statement on Tuesday by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir, said the minister shall also use the opportunity to urge the US and the wider international community to give serious consideration to multilateral reforms, particularly that of democratizing the United Nations Security Council.