Reports claiming that the Government of Qatar declined President Bola Tinubu’s planned state visit to the country have been refuted by the presidency, according to The Nation.
A leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of Qatar in Abuja and the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding preparations for a business sidelines meeting sparked misunderstanding in the media, falsely suggesting that Qatar rejected Tinubu’s visit.
However, the presidency clarified the situation in a statement released Saturday evening by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. The presidency explained that Tinubu’s visit to Qatar was at the invitation of Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the leaked correspondence pertained to a planned business event organized by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The statement emphasized that the event aimed to facilitate engagement between businesspeople from Nigeria and Qatar on commercial and investment opportunities and was not a snub on Tinubu by the Qatari government.
It clarified, “President Tinubu is expected to proceed to Qatar on the State Visit as scheduled,” affirming that the visit is intended to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
The statement further highlighted the collaboration between NACCIMA and Qatar Chambers of Commerce and Industry to leverage Tinubu’s visit to explore opportunities in various economic sectors.
President Tinubu is set to engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leaders during the visit, covering a range of diplomatic and economic matters, and both parties are committed to enhancing the cordial relationship between Nigeria and Qatar.