The Nigerian government has dismissed reports suggesting that Qatar has rejected an offer for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to visit the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that Tinubu’s visit to Qatar is indeed scheduled for March 2-3, along with visits to the United Arab Emirates.
Speculations arose following a circulated memo purportedly from the Qatari Embassy in Abuja, indicating the country’s unavailability for a proposed business forum with Nigeria.
The memo cited reasons such as the absence of a formal agreement on investment protection between Qatar and Nigeria, as well as prior commitments of the Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry.
However, a statement released by Tinubu’s special adviser on information & strategy, Bayo Onanuga, affirmed the president’s upcoming visit, emphasizing the strong diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Qatar.
The statement titled PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU’S STATE VISIT TO QATAR reads;
We are aware of a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar between 2 and 3 March, 2024.
The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari government.
The Note Verbale is about a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum to be held on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s State Visit.
The event is being put together by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry where business people from Nigeria will engage their counterparts from Qatar on commercial and investment opportunities available in both countries.
We note the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries and affirm that the State Visit by President Bola Tinubu to Qatar is on the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
The State Visit is particularly aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
NACCIMA and Qatar Chambers of Commerce and Industry are collaborating to take advantage of President Tinubu’s visit to Doha to mobilise the business community from our two countries to explore opportunities in key economic sectors such as oil & gas, manufacturing, agro-business, construction, real estate, ICT, Renewable Energy, Solid Minerals and service sector, among others.
President Tinubu is expected to proceed to Qatar on the State Visit as scheduled and during the visit, the Nigerian leader will engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leader on many important matters, covering the full range of diplomatic and economic issues.
It is not correct for anyone to insinuate that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian leader over a business and investment forum which is tangential to the all-important State Visit and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest.
President Tinubu and His Highness Al-Thani are both committed to maintaining and building on the existing cordial and special relationship between Nigeria and the State of Qatar.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy
February 24, 2024