The Presidency has said that President Bola Tinubu succeeded in attracting $50 billion from his 36 foreign trips in the last two years. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs & International Relations, Amb Sola Enikanolaye, disclosed this yesterday in his mid-term assessment of the President.
He said: “Since he was sworn in on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu has so far undertaken some 36 foreign visits to the following countries – Benin Republic, Chad, Ghana, Senegal, Republic of Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania all in Africa; France, United Kingdom, Germany and The Netherlands, The Vatican (Europe); United States of America for the UN General Assembly; Brazil, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in (Middle East); India and China in Asia. Several others have been approved for the rest of the year – all intended to engage, deepen and strengthen Nigeria’s bilateral relations with the rest of the world.”
The presidential aide who argued that Tinubu’s diplomatic shuttles have increased the nation’s visibility and credibility, listed FDI attracted to include: Sunil Bharti, $800 million; Exxon Mobil, $10 billion; Total Energies, $550 million; Indorama, $8 billion, Jindal Steel, $3 billion and Coca-Cola, $1 billion. Others were: APPL, 9.2 billion Euros; Maersk, $600 million; Arise, $3.5 billion; Shell, $3 billion; Afremix, $5 billion; companies from The Netherlands, $250 million and $100 million in waste-towealth industrial facility in Lagos.
“These FDIs not only speak to the positive outcomes of the administration’s economic reforms but also of the excellence in foreign policy and diplomacy. Whereas the financial gains of the FDI are countable, the skills and technology transfer accompanying these huge foreign direct investments cannot be quantified in numbers. “Nigeria’s relations with China which have been elevated to the status of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by President Tinubu and with flagship projects in infrastructure, currency swap, among other features, deserve a special mention.
I must state that many of these FDIs would not have been possible save for the credibility provided by the presence of Mr President.” He continued: “Nigeria has equally been very active in the global discourse on climate change with its nationally determined contributions currently under review.
At each of the conferences held on this global challenge, Mr President has continued to put on the table, Nigeria’s climate and environmental concerns, including rise in sea level, the shrinking of Lake Chad, irregular rainfall pattern and its attendant flash floods, threat to food security among others, while pushing for climate finance through the various mechanisms that have been adopted or still being refined.
“In addition, it is noteworthy that under this administration, Nigeria has gained some 16,300 square kilometers of maritime boundary, extending Nigeria’s continental shelf, deep into the Atlantic Ocean under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
This has huge potentials for maritime security and the exploitation of the blue economy resources for the benefit of the country. It is therefore, ludicrous for anyone to criticise the participation of Mr. President at different international engagements either as statutory meetings or to which Nigeria has otherwise been invited.
“What needs to happen more is full implementation of the positive outcomes of these foreign engagements and commitments in a manner that greatly contributes to national development and by bringing their benefits to bear more directly on the lives of the Nigerian people.
It was for these reasons and objectives that Mr President has created the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Central Delivery Coordination Unit, headed by Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman, for necessary follow-up actions on implementation and to hold the various MDAs accountable.”
