President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier are currently holding a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The visit marks a significant milestone in the six-decade-long diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Germany.
Steinmeier, who arrived in Abuja on Tuesday evening, was formally welcomed by President Tinubu at the Villa’s Forecourt at 11:06 a.m. on Wednesday. The reception featured a brief ceremonial exchange, including the renditions of both nations’ national anthems and an inspection of the Guard of Honour conducted by the Presidential Brigade of Guards. A 21-gun salute followed before both leaders proceeded to the President’s office for their discussions.
Accompanying President Steinmeier is a delegation comprising CEOs and senior executives from leading German companies in the IT and energy sectors. During his visit, Steinmeier will engage with Nigerian business representatives, visit a start-up hub, and interact with notable cultural figures, including Dr. Nike Okundaye and Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka.
The German President’s itinerary also includes a trip to Lagos, where he will explore the megacity’s urban development projects and discuss solutions to its environmental and social challenges.
This visit continues a tradition of robust diplomatic engagement between the two nations. President Steinmeier is the second German leader to visit Nigeria in 14 months, following Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s October 2023 trip. President Tinubu had earlier attended the G20 Compact with Africa Economic Conference in November 2023 at Chancellor Scholz’s invitation.
The history of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany has seen high-level exchanges by leaders such as Helmut Schmidt, Angela Merkel, and Christian Wulff from Germany, and Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari from Nigeria. These visits have fostered agreements in energy, trade, and culture.
President Tinubu and President Steinmeier are expected to address the press after their meeting, with discussions likely to focus on deepening economic cooperation and advancing shared goals in sustainable development.
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