By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
ISSUES OF agricultural investment and food security took centre stage at the State House in Abuja, where President Bola Tinubu received a special envoy from the Amir of Qatar to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation.
The envoy, Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, who serves as Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, conveyed a strong message of commitment from the Gulf state.
A high-level business delegation from Qatar will arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore concrete investment opportunities.
President Tinubu welcomed the initiative, stating that Nigeria remains open to strategic partnerships. He emphasised the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation and pledged to fully implement all agreements signed during his 2024 state visit to Qatar.
President Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s efforts to create a more investor-friendly environment, including ongoing reforms to simplify the country’s tax system. He stressed that Nigeria is ready to build on its leadership position in Africa by fostering economic collaboration with Qatar.
“You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria,” Tinubu said, adding that the country is determined to grow through hard but necessary decisions. “We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
The President also highlighted areas where cooperation could be expanded, particularly in food sovereignty, peace-building, and economic development.
He praised Qatar’s contributions to global peace and its development of a knowledge-based economy, urging Qatari firms to invest further in Nigeria.
The Qatari envoy reiterated the Amir’s desire to elevate Nigeria to the level of a strategic partner in Africa. He said the current level of engagement is strong, encompassing both governmental and people-to-people relations, but signalled readiness to deepen ties.
“We have much to do together in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals,” Al-Khulaifi said. “Some of our companies are already exploring ways to enter the Nigerian market.”
Al-Khulaifi, who is also tasked with peace mediation across Africa and the Middle East, emphasised that Qatar’s interest is long-term and strategic. His meeting with President Tinubu marks a significant step forward in aligning both nations’ visions for mutual economic and diplomatic growth.
President Tinubu directed key cabinet ministers to fast-track the execution of existing agreements, ensuring that momentum from previous engagements with Qatar is not lost.
