Nigeria on Tuesday proposed the establishment of a joint commission with Singapore to strengthen the relations between both countries.

Minister of State II for Foreign Affairs Viola Onwuliri made the proposal when Masagos Zulkiifli, her Singaporean counterpart, paid a visit to the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Onwuliri said establishing a joint commission would enable both countries to take advantage of investment opportunities.

"It's time we institute and establish a joint commission so that it will give us a broader and legal framework in possible areas of relations, this is important because it sets a foundation for world peace," she said.

Both countries could strengthen relations in agriculture and food security, oil and gas, education, transportation, job creation and youth empowerment, she told her guest.

The minister said bilateral relations with Singapore would facilitate the transformation agenda of the present administration.

She added the visit of the Singapore's foreign minister of state would enable both countries to review pending agreements between them.

Onwuliri also solicited Singapore's support for Nigeria's bid for a UN Security Council non-permanent seat in 2014.

In response, Zulkiifli said Singapore is committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Nigeria.

He said the country would also share experiences with Nigeria in the areas of urban planning and water management. "Nigeria is developing very fast and there are many areas that would be challenging to countries that grow very fast which include water management and urban growth," he said.

"Singapore has learnt this through its own development and we are happy to share such experiences with Nigeria," he added.

Zulkiifli said 150 Nigerians had been trained under the Singapore Cooperation Program, especially in the areas of urban development.