The Presidency has clarified that Nigeria’s participation at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama is centered on high-level strategic engagements in power, industry, and agriculture
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, clarified on Wednesday in a statement titled “Nigeria’s Participation at TICAD9: Focusing on Strategic Engagements, Not Trade Expos.”
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is leading the delegation in bilateral and multilateral meetings with executives of Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, UNDP, and the International Finance Corporation, as part of efforts to secure concrete partnerships for Nigeria’s growth.
Onanuga explained that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, is spearheading talks on key projects funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including the Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement project and a training partnership between the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) and JICA.
He added that another initiative, the Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-up, had already received $190 million in funding.
The Minister of Power will hold meetings with major Original Equipment Manufacturers such as Toshiba and Hitachi, while the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Dr Supo Olusi, is engaged in discussions with JICA and other multilateral institutions on annual fund syndication.
Onanuga also noted that the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) will host an investment forum on Thursday, August 21, in continuation of Nigeria’s economic diplomacy at the conference.
Responding to a viral social media video showing an empty booth labelled “Nigeria,” Onanuga dismissed the footage as misleading, stressing that the official delegation was never in Japan to participate in a trade fair.
“While we understand the urge by many social media users to seek clicks with incorrect posts, we also recognise that the author may have acted out of patriotic concern. But it is a concern inspired by ignorance about Nigeria’s mission at the triennial conference,” he said.
He maintained that Nigeria is fully represented at TICAD9 and is focused on securing agreements to drive growth in critical sectors across the country.
PIAK