President Bola Tinubu welcomed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, marking the beginning of Steinmeier’s three-day state visit to Nigeria.
The visit aims to deepen Nigeria-Germany relations, with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, education, and technology.
Steinmeier’s arrival was met with ceremonial honours, including the rendition of the German and Nigerian national anthems, as well as a 21-gun salute.
The German leader also inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Brigade of Guards. During his visit, Steinmeier is expected to meet with the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, and engage with business leaders, cultural sector representatives, and civil society organizations.
Tinubu, on his official X handle, wrote: “This morning, I had the honour of welcoming President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany to the Presidential Villa on his state visit to Nigeria.
“Our countries have a solid foundation based on a rich history of collaboration in important sectors such as energy, agriculture, education, development, technology, and renewables.
“The bilateral discussions and the business forum that took place during this visit offered a valuable opportunity to further strengthen and expand this critical partnership between Nigeria and Germany as we look towards the future.”
Persecondnews reports that Steinmeier’s itinerary includes a visit to Lagos, where he will interact with business leaders, visit a start-up hub, and meet with notable figures such as Dr. Nike Okundaye of the Nike Art Gallery and Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.
The visit follows a series of high-level exchanges between Nigeria and Germany, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s trip to Nigeria in October and President Tinubu’s visit to Germany in November.
Leave a comment