Tinubu insists on visit as Qatar rejects business and investment forum trip by Nigerian president

The Qatari government has rejected a proposed business and investment forum trip by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

The rejection was communicated through a letter dated February 22, 2024, from the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria.

The visit, scheduled for March 2 and 3, 2024, included business and investment forum plans.

However, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologized for the rejection, citing the absence of a signed agreement between Qatar and Nigeria on investment promotion and protection.

The letter also mentioned that the Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry would be preoccupied with official missions outside the country during the proposed visit period.

In the letter, the Qatari Embassy explained that there was no agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on investment promotion and protection.

It also mentioned that the Minister of Commerce and Industry would be occupied with official missions during the visit period and that the State of Qatar would host a web summit during the suggested period.

The rejected business and investment forum was meant to be part of the activities lined up for President Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar. The proposed forum aimed to facilitate discussions between the Nigerian and Qatari business communities.

In response to the leaked letter and concerns about a potential snub, the Nigerian Presidency clarified that the Qatari government did not snub President Tinubu.

The statement emphasized that the leaked diplomatic correspondence pertained to the investment forum and not the state visit.

It further stated that President Tinubu is expected to proceed with the state visit to Qatar as scheduled, engaging in high-level bilateral discussions on diplomatic and economic matters.

“The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub of President Tinubu by the Qatari government,” the statement signed by Bayo Onanuga noted.