By Faith Berewa
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been at the forefront of Nigeria’s diplomatic drive since coming into office stepping out on the International Stage, selling himself as a credible partner, rolling out his credentials…“I fought for democracy. I was detained for democracy. I am now president and I am determined to prove that democracy can provide the development that our nation and continent presently demands”…. And, selling the Country … “Nigeria is open for business…”
Less than a month into his presidency, he made his first international trip to Paris where he attended the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron. The aim of the summit was to “find ways to build a more inclusive and equitable financial systems… The Pact will help define the principles and steps needed to reform the global financial system and to combat the high-level of debts that tie government hands…” Nigeria, struggling under a heavy debt burden, with virtually nothing left for development financing desperately needs favorable terms of funding and debt servicing. It was important the President parleyed with other world leaders and heads of international organizations in this regard.
In the month of September, the president has been to India for the G20 summit, where his first port of call “within 90 minutes of landing in New Delhi” was a meeting with the CEO of Hinduja Group, one of the largest diversified groups in the world spanning all the continents with over 200,000 employees. The 100+ years conglomerate is in sectors such as banking, finance, mobility, energy, technology, media and renewables. The CEO apparently has been feeling the heat of the Nigerian System of doing things. “I have had paperwork stalled in Nigerian bureaucracy for over one year…” President Tinubu promised to pull all strings to assure investors of his administration’s commitment to making Nigeria investment friendly. “….there is no bottleneck I will not break….”
The president was able to extract some commitments. The Hinduja’s CEO’s statement, “I will invest billions under your leadership” must have been music to the president’s ears. Well, let’s hope it comes to fruition.
Next stop was the United Arab Emirates. The vexed issue of visa ban on Nigerians and suspension of flight to Nigeria by their airlines reportedly in response to the failure of Nigeria to repatriate millions of dollars of trapped funds. The Nigerian government excitedly announced the lifting of the visa ban by the UAE authorities and resumption of flights between both countries, a claim denied by the UAE authorities forcing the Nigerian Government to walk back its announcement.
Then his first address at the United Nations General Assembly. The president pitched himself as a spokesman for the African Continent championing the African Cause. “….Permit me to say a few words on behalf of Nigeria, on behalf of Africa….. Today and for several decades, Africa has been asking for the same level of political commitment and devotion of resource that described the Marshall Plan…. We are not asking for identical plans and actions, what we seek is an equally firm commitment to partnership….the question is not whether Nigeria is open for business. The question is how much of the world is truly open to doing business with Nigeria and Africa in an equal mutually beneficial manner….”
One can infer why the president is trying to project Africa through Nigeria, portraying an image of a country different from the one the world has come to know. The president wants a new conversation about Nigeria, he wants to chart a different trajectory on perceptions about the “giant of Africa”, the country that used to be beacon of hope for the continent, waned in influence on the world stage, debilitated under mismanagement, chronic corruption, crippling debt burden, poverty, underdevelopment, insecurity and a confused sense of identity among citizens. Our youths who are our strength and future, leaving in droves.
The president’s engagements on the international stage as important as they are will be diminished without deliberate and sustained efforts at tackling what has impeded Nigeria’s development efforts. A nation is as powerful externally as its internal strengths and stability. We only need to look at China. Some decades ago China was a poor developing country, it has become an economic superpower. And India? Where the president visited recently seeking partnerships and investors; it has overtaken the United Kingdom as the fifth largest economy in the world. According to Forbes: India’s economy boasts delivery and swift growth, fuelled by sectors such as information technology, services, agriculture, and manufacturing. The nation capitalizes on its broad domestic market, a youthful and technologically adept labor force, and an expanding middle class.
“The Infrastructure sector is a key driver for the Indian economy. The sector is highly responsible for propelling India’s overall development and enjoys intense focus from Government for initiating policies that would
ensure time-bound creation of world class infrastructure in the
country”. S.k Kataria
Our president is selling Nigeria’s population as a major investment opportunity but what about the hydra headed issue of insecurity and pitiable infrastructure that the government has failed to confront headlong?
Truth be told, what are the current investment attractions in a climate of insecurity and uncertainty? Why not address the insecurity problem first? A peaceful and stable Nigeria can attract investors without the president traveling around and appealing to investors to come. Just recently our national grid collapsed to absurdly and embarrassing record lows. These two main areas are the most imperative factors for economic productivity. Its crunch time Mr. President..
It’s time to get to work on your promise: “Nigeria will become one of the most conducive places to make good profits and create lasting jobs”.
Nigeria’s image cannot be laundered by mere words.
