Since his first trip abroad as President of Nigeria to Paris in June last year, where he joined other world leaders at the New Global Financial Pact Summit convened by President Emmanuel Macron, President Bola Tinubu has undertaken many other important trips where he has drawn global attention to the new realities in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

On those trips, he emerged as the chief salesman of Nigeria and Africa.

Like his previous travels where he had forcefully spoken, with admiration, on behalf of Nigeria or for West Africa as Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Head of States and Government and at the United Nations General Assembly and COP28 in Dubai, President Tinubu has not failed to use the available opportunity to send the right message to the world of the immense possibilities to do great things when the developed nations and global business leaders partner Africa, and Nigeria, in particular in a mutually-beneficial way.

It was the same message of partnership, collaboration, investment opportunity, shared prosperity, and sustainability that he took to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

Both at The Hague, where he met the Prime Minister, the Royal family and business leaders and in Riyadh, where he participated actively at the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum, President Tinubu was regal in his carriage and convincing in appeal.

Here are the key takeaways from the trips:

1. Thursday, 25th of April, President Tinubu led the Nigerian delegation to the Nigeria-Netherlands Business and Investment Forum. He used the opportunity to reinforce the more robust economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries. He used the occasion to sell his Renewed Hope Agenda, harping on the favourable investment climate now in Nigeria and the reforms he has undertaken to promote a stronger and more resilient economy where businesses can thrive. In his call to action, he invited investors from the Netherlands to come and reap bountifully from any investment they make in Nigeria. During his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte at his official residence, President Tinubu was at his best element as a salesman. He told the PM of the abundant human and natural resources available in Nigeria, especially the energetic, enterprising, and resourceful young people who are breaking barriers and excelling across the world in their various fields. On his part, the Prime Minister said Dutch investors were ready for a fresh $250 million investment in Nigeria and another $100 million in a waste-to-wealth industrial facility in Lagos State.
2. At a high-level panel discussion at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, President Tinubu held his audience spellbound.

On the same panel, with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, and the Managing Director of International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Geogieva,  President Tinubu spoke on the imperatives of building global collaboration and cooperation to deal with some of the problems confronting humanity.

He called on the global community and more prosperous nations to pay more attention to Africa and the Sahel region of West Africa.

He said: “I am glad the world is recognising the need for cooperation and that with the type of population growth that Africa is experiencing, the diversity of its resources must be married with economic opportunity. We must collaborate to achieve that.

“We are encouraging the entire world to pay attention to the Sahel and the other countries around us. As the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I have wielded the big influence of Nigeria to discourage all unconstitutional changes of government. Equally, we have eased the sanctions. We need to trade with one another, not fight each other. It is very necessary and compulsory for us to engender growth, stability, and economic prosperity for our people in West Africa.

“The rest of the world needs to look at the fundamentals of the problem; not just geopolitically, but at the root. Has the world paid attention to the poverty level in the Sahel and the rest of ECOWAS? Have they facilitated the infusion of capital and paid adequate attention to ensuring the exploration of resources and the creation of opportunities presented by the mineral resources available?

“Are we going to play a big-brother role in a talk shop without taking necessary action? We just have to be involved in the promotion and prosperity of that region in order to see peace, stability, and economic growth.”

3. Engagement with Moller-Maersk Delegation: A key highlight of the President’s participation at the WEF in Riyadh was a sideline meeting with Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of the Danish shipping and logistics giant, and his team. The meeting focused on the company’s existing business in Nigeria and the prospect of future new investment to expand port infrastructure in Nigeria to accommodate bigger ships. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, recently announced a $ 1 billion ports expansion and modernisation programme to take care of dilapidated infrastructure at the Western and Eastern seaports. President Tinubu welcomed the genuine interest of AP Moller-Maersk in Nigeria and the company’s willingness to make new investments. He expressed his appreciation to the Chairman for his company’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy over time, assuring him that Nigeria and his government would not take the country’s partners for granted.

*Ajayi is Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity

The post Takeaways from President Tinubu’s trip to Riyadh and Hague appeared first on Frontpageng.

Chairman of A.P Moller-Maersk, Mr. Robert Maersk Uggla, disclosed the decision during a meeting with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

President Tinubu noted that that investment would complement the administration’s ongoing $1 billion investment in seaport reconstruction across the eastern and western seaports of Nigeria.

The president added that it would further support the country’s port modernization efforts and port process automation through his administration’s implementation of the national single window project, which was aimed at enhancing trade facilitation, easing import/export flow, reducing corruption at the ports, while improving the efficiency and transparency of port processes in Nigeria.

“We appreciate your business and the contribution you have made and continue to make to our country’s economy over time. We do not take our partners for granted. A bet on Nigeria is a winning bet. It is also a bet that rewards beyond what is obtainable elsewhere.

READ ALSO: Rivers: Four die, 70 vehicles burnt in fuel tanker explosion

“More investment opportunities are available, and my government has worked on various reforms to encourage investments. We need to encourage more opportunities for revenue expansion and minimize trans-shipments from larger ships to smaller ships,” he said.

The president assured Maersk of his administration’s commitment to collaborating and creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.

He cited Maersk’s previous partnership in the development of the Ogun State container terminal as a testament to fruitful partnerships with the reputable logistics company.

Highlighting Maersk’s longstanding engagement in Africa’s most populous nation and his belief in the future of Nigeria, Chairman of A.P Moller-Maersk, Mr. Robert Maersk Uggla, said his company had made significant investments of over $2 billion in Nigerian ports and other activities.

He emphasized the potential for Nigerian ports to accommodate larger container ships and stressed the need for expanding port infrastructure to meet the demand while reducing the cost of logistics.

”We have seen a significant opportunity for Nigeria to cater for larger container ships. Historically, most of the West African coasts are already served by smaller ships. Currently, we see an opportunity to deploy larger ships to Nigeria. To achieve this, we need to expand the port infrastructure, especially in Lagos, where we need a bigger hub for logistics services. The growth potential is hard to quantify.

”We believe in Nigeria, and we will invest $600 million in existing facilities and make the ports accommodating for bigger ships.

”In my humble view, given that Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria should have the best and biggest port and we are very eager to invest, and we will continue that dialogue with the relevant Nigerian authorities to explore further investment opportunities,” the Maersk chairman said.

The post Tinubu meets Maersk chairman, secures $600m investment appeared first on Frontpageng.