Tokyo: President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Japan, marking the commencement of his two-nation official visit to participate in the ninth edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). President Tinubu landed at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo around 12:55 am (local time) on Tuesday and was welcomed by Ambassador Hideo Matsubara, responsible for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).
According to Voice of Nigeria, President Tinubu’s participation at TICAD9 in Yokohama is a significant milestone as it marks his first official visit to Japan since assuming office 25 months ago. In Yokohama, he will pitch Nigeria as a prime investment destination to Japanese business leaders who are already active in the country’s economic activities and those considering entry into investments in several sectors.
During the East Asian conference, themed ‘Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,’ President Tinubu is expected to attend plenary sessions and hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and Japanese business executives. His attendance underscores Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Japan, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and collaborative initiatives featured at TICAD9.
TICAD, the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, is Japan’s premier diplomatic and economic forum dedicated to fostering sustainable development and deepening partnerships between Japan and the African continent. The forum’s emphasis on African ownership and international partnership aligns with President Tinubu’s agenda to boost economic integration, human resource development, and industrialization across Africa, while also opening new avenues for investment and cooperation with Japan.
In addition, the event provides bilateral platform opportunities between Africa and Japan and aims to promote a resilient and sustainable African society supported in peace, stability, and human security. TICAD9 will focus on economic transformation, private investment, and institutional development across the African and Asian continent.
The Tokyo International Conference on African Development is regularly hosted by the Japanese government alongside the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, and African Union Commission. It has been an event that sets the agenda in Japan-Africa relations since 1993. The TICAD9 summit, with the objective of consolidating economic cooperation and opening new trade corridors with Asian partners, multinationals, and the governments of other African countries, is held every three years and alternates between Japan and African countries. The last edition was hosted in Tunisia in 2022.
This year’s conference, taking place between August 20 to 22, 2025, brings together African heads of state, development partners, private sector leaders, and civil society to co-create innovative solutions that drive economic growth, social development, and peace across Africa.