Bilateral Relations: Tinubu sets to depart Nigeria for international summit in India

In a bid to attract foreign investors and promote international and domestic investment in Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will leave the country, on Monday, to attend the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale disclosed this in a statement on Sunday evening.

According to him, President Tinubu was on special invitation by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to attend the summit.

“On the sidelines of the Summit, the President will participate in and deliver keynote addresses at both the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and the Nigeria-India Business Conference.

The CEO Roundtable will be attended by leading industrialists in the Indian private sector, Nigerian industrialists, as well as senior government officials from both countries. The President aims to leverage this platform to attract global capital and promote increased foreign direct investments in key labour-intensive sectors of Nigeria’s economy for job creation and revenue expansion,” the statement read.

It added that President Tinubu will take the advantage of the summit to pitch his investment readiness of the present administration and his Renewed Hope Agenda.

The statement read in part:

“Given the President’s renowned experience in attracting investment to Lagos State, leading industrialists have sought separate private engagements with him at the summit.

“The President’s itinerary will also feature bilateral meetings with a cross-section of world leaders from four different continents, representing both G-20 and non–G20 countries. These engagements are geared towards strengthening bilateral economic, trade, and investment partnerships for mutual benefit.

“At the G20 Summit, the Nigerian leader is expected to share Nigeria’s perspective on the theme, “One Earth-One Family-One Future,” which speaks to the global unity required to address the challenges facing humanity and the planet.

“With its collective contribution of up to 80% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and housing 60% of the world’s population, the G-20 constitutes a significant economic power bloc of socio-economic opportunity and geo-political stability.

“While Nigeria’s membership of the G-20 is desirable, the government has embarked on wide-ranging consultations with a view to ascertaining the benefits and risks of membership.

“This is consistent with the desire of the President to democratize foreign policy and articulate policy formulation and implementation through a Whole-of-Society and a Whole-of-Government approach that achieves the nation’s long-term strategic objectives.

“Once consultations are concluded, the government will decide whether or not to apply to join as appropriate. The participation of President Tinubu at the G-20 Summit in India is, in part, in furtherance of this objective.”

Mr President is expected to return to the country immediately after the summit.