By Seyi Babalola
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria will leave Abuja on Monday for New Delhi, India, to attend the G-20 Leaders’ Summit.
Tinubu will attend the two-day summit at the request of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Sunday.
According to a statement headlined ‘President Tinubu poised to attend G-20 Summit in India, with investment attraction leading Nigeria’s agenda,’ Ngelale stated that the President intends to use the platform to attract global capital and support more foreign direct investments in critical labor-intensive areas of the Nigerian economy in order to create jobs and raise income.
“He will use this opportunity to highlight Nigeria’s attractiveness as an investment destination, specifically outlining his cross-sectoral reform plan as encapsulated by the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Given the President’s renowned experience in attracting investment to Lagos State, leading industrialists have sought separate private engagements with him at the summit,” it read in part.
On the sidelines of the Summit, President Tinubu will participate in and deliver keynote addresses at both the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and the Nigeria-India Business Conference.
The CEO Roundtable will be attended by leading industrialists in the Indian private sector, Nigerian industrialists, as well as senior government officials from both countries.
His itinerary will also feature bilateral meetings with a cross-section of world leaders from four different continents, representing both G-20 and non–G20 countries.
“These engagements are geared towards strengthening bilateral economic, trade, and investment partnerships for mutual benefit,” said Ngelale.
At the G20 Summit, the Nigerian leader is expected to share Nigeria’s perspective on the theme, “One Earth-One Family-One Future,” which speaks to the global unity required to address the challenges facing humanity and the planet.
Although Nigeria is not yet a member of the G-20 group, which was created in September 1999, a presidential adviser claimed Tinubu’s attendance at the summit is part of his efforts to make the country a member of the bloc.
While Nigeria’s inclusion in the bloc is desired, the Tinubu-led administration has begun extensive discussions to assess the advantages and hazards of membership.
