Nigerian President Bola Tinubu will leave Abuja on Monday for New Delhi, India, to attend the G-20 Leaders’ Summit.
According to a statement read on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu is attending the two-day summit at the request of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ngelale revealed in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu set to attend the G-20 Summit in India with investment attraction topping Nigeria’s agenda,’ that the President intends to leverage the platform to attract global capital and promote increased foreign direct investments in key labor-intensive sectors of Nigeria’s economy for job creation and revenue expansion.
“He will take advantage of this opportunity to emphasise Nigeria’s attractiveness as an investment destination, specifically outlining his cross-sectoral reform plan as encapsulated by the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
“Given the President’s renowned experience in attracting investment to Lagos State, leading industrialists have sought separate private engagements with him at the summit,” it read in part.
President Tinubu will participate in and deliver keynote addresses at both the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and the Nigeria-India Business Conference on the sidelines of the Summit.
The CEO Roundtable will be attended by leading industrialists from the Indian private sector, Nigerian industrialists, and senior government officials from both countries.
His itinerary will also include bilateral meetings with world leaders from four continents, representing both G-20 and non-G20 countries.
“These engagements are aimed at strengthening bilateral economic, trade, and investment partnerships for mutual benefit,” Ngelale explained.
The G20 Summit’s theme, “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” speaks to the need for international cooperation to address the problems facing humanity and the environment. The Nigerian leader is anticipated to present Nigeria’s perspective on this theme.
Despite the fact that Nigeria is not yet a part of the G-20 bloc, which was established in September 1999, the presidential aide claimed Tinubu’s attendance at the summit is a step towards his goal of enlisting Nigeria in the group.
He stated that while it is desirable for Nigeria to join the bloc, the Tinubu-led administration has started extensive consultations to determine the advantages and risks of membership.
“This is consistent with the President’s desire to democratise foreign policy and articulate policy formulation and implementation through a Whole of Society and Whole of Government approach that achieves the nation’s long-term strategic objectives,” the statement continued.
President Tinubu’s attendance at the G-20 Summit in India is part of that effort.
“Once consultations are completed,” he says, “the government will decide whether or not to apply to join as appropriate.”
President Tinubu is accompanied on the mission by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; and Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite.
Since taking office on May 29, 2023, India is Tinubu’s sixth foreign country and first in Asia.
He has so far traveled to Kenya, the UK, France, Guinea-Bissau, and the Benin Republic.
It is anticipated that Tinubu will spend six days in New Delhi, making his total time spent abroad 19 days.
He is scheduled to leave the Summit immediately and fly back to Nigeria.