President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria is prepared to assist South Sudan to achieve political and economic stability.

Mr Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman said in a statement that President Buhari made the pledge at a bilateral meeting with President Salva Kiir of South Sudan on Tuesday in Addis Ababa.

The president assured the full support of Nigeria to all efforts to bring long-term stability and prosperity to the continent.

“Nigeria will contribute its quota as much as possible to the development of South Sudan.

“Take us into confidence and ask us what we can do,’’ President Buhari told the South Sudanese leader.

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While stressing the need for cooperation between developing countries, the Nigerian leader said with investments in education, improved economy, and healthcare, things would surely improve.

On the situation in Guinea and Mali, President Buhari stressed that African leaders must support efforts to the countries to democracy.

He expressed concern that as long as Libya remained unstable, the proliferation of arms and the problems in the Sahel would continue.

In his remarks, President Kiir, who acknowledged Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa, appreciated the country’s efforts in the liberation struggle of South Sudan.

He also commended President Buhari’s wife, for assisting in the education of many South Sudanese girls in the country.

‘‘In West Africa, ECOWAS intervenes immediately whenever a country has a problem. That should be adopted in East and Central Africa,’’ he said.

President Buhari and President Kiir were among African leaders that attended the inauguration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia for a second five-year term in office.