Abuja: President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria is ready to partner Qatar to explore opportunities in the agricultural sector. The President said this while receiving Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, a special envoy from the Amir of the State of Qatar, at the State House on Friday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, conveyed the Amir’s strong interest in expanding bilateral cooperation. He mentioned that a high-level Qatari business delegation would visit Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and other critical sectors.
President Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s readiness to build on the momentum generated by his state visit to Qatar in 2024. He pledged to implement all bilateral agreements between the two countries and directed Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation; and Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to work together to ensure the timely execution of these agreements.
The President expressed gratitude to the Qatari delegation, acknowledging the strong brotherly relations between the two nations. He praised the Qatari Government for its efforts in promoting global peace and stability, stating, “I am proud of your efforts to bring peace and stability to the world.”
President Tinubu also highlighted ongoing reforms to streamline Nigeria’s tax system, aiming to ease the business environment for foreign investors. “We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Going by experiences of the past and the need to depart from old ways, our reforms have been hard,” he explained.
He further noted that Nigeria’s partnership with Qatar could enhance food sovereignty and economic prosperity. “We are doing well as much as we can as the leader in Africa. We want to continue to promote good relations with you,” he added.
Al-Khulaifi conveyed the Amir’s desire to strengthen the strategic partnership with Nigeria, particularly in peace-building, agriculture, and petrochemicals. He expressed pride in the current level of relations and looked forward to expanding both government-to-government and people-to-people ties.
Al-Khulaifi, whose responsibilities include mediating peace in Africa and the Middle East, mentioned that some Qatari companies plan to visit Nigeria to discuss investment opportunities in agriculture. “The message I have from His Highness, Amir of Qatar, is that he wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa,” he added.