President Bola Tinubu has welcomed new investment initiatives from the Qatari government, particularly in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, and reaffirmed the country’s openness to strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing food security, economic development, and peacebuilding.
The President gave this assurance on Friday during a meeting at the State House in Abuja with Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Special Envoy of the Amir of Qatar and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Al-Khulaifi conveyed the Amir’s strong interest in strengthening bilateral ties, announcing that a high-level Qatari business delegation would visit Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and petrochemicals.
Recalling his state visit to Qatar in 2024, President Tinubu pledged to build on the momentum of that engagement. He directed key cabinet ministers — Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Budget and Economic Planning), Mohammed Idris (Information and National Orientation), and Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Foreign Affairs) — to fast-track the implementation of all bilateral agreements.
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“To all the members of the delegation, I want to say a big thank you for coming to Nigeria. I’m also glad that the Amir of Qatar remembers the issues we discussed during my visit last year,” President Tinubu said. “We are ready to deepen our bilateral relations.”
The President also commended Qatar’s global contributions to peace and development, noting similarities with Nigeria’s own efforts to combat terrorism and promote regional stability. “Like you, we are caught between the challenge of terrorism and the need to support our neighbours. We know who our true friends are,” he added.
Highlighting his administration’s economic reforms, Tinubu emphasized ongoing efforts to streamline Nigeria’s tax regime and improve the investment climate. “I made tough decisions so we could grow. We’re gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said, assuring Qatar that “you won’t find a better partner than Nigeria.”
Dr. Al-Khulaifi, whose portfolio includes mediating peace in Africa and the Middle East, praised the deepening Nigeria-Qatar relationship and expressed readiness to expand cooperation in agriculture, petrochemicals, and peacebuilding.
“We are proud of the level of relations we have reached with Nigeria,” he said. “Our ambassador has been following up with projects. There’s much we can achieve together.”
The envoy added that Qatari companies are eager to invest in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and reiterated the Amir’s message: “He wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa.”
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