The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has accepted an invitation from President Bola Tinubu to visit Nigeria in 2025.
President Tinubu, who arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday as a guest of President Al Nahyan to participate in Sustainability Week, used the opportunity to urge his counterpart to collaborate with Nigeria in strengthening its economy. The invitation was extended during a bilateral meeting on Wednesday night at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi.
This development was revealed in a statement from the State House on Thursday, signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Sustainability Week is a global platform aimed at fostering dialogue on sustainable development, with a focus on tackling critical challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and the global energy crisis.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Tinubu addressed the conference, presenting Nigeria’s stance on climate change and other pressing global issues. He also congratulated President Al Nahyan on the successful hosting of the event.
During their discussions, President Al Nahyan expressed gratitude to Tinubu for accepting the invitation and reiterated the UAE’s commitment to deepening economic ties with Nigeria. The two leaders explored opportunities to attract greater investment into Nigeria.
President Tinubu emphasized that his government’s ongoing economic reforms were already yielding positive results, urging the UAE to partner with Nigeria in furthering its economic development. He pointed to the growing confidence among foreign investors, as evidenced by recent billion-dollar investments from international oil companies and other global investors, signaling a renewed interest in doing business with Africa’s most populous nation.
Accompanying President Tinubu during the meeting were Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. President Al Nahyan was joined by UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as the Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among other officials.
