President Bola Tinubu received German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Wednesday morning.
Steinmeier, who arrived in Abuja on Tuesday evening, met with the President at the Villa’s Forecourt at approximately 11:06 am (local time) on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by a delegation of business leaders, including CEOs and senior board members from some of Germany’s leading companies in the IT, high-tech, and energy sectors.
Upon his arrival, the German President was honoured with the playing of both the German and Nigerian anthems, followed by a review of the Guard of Honour provided by the Presidential Brigade of Guards.
After a 21-gun salute, President Tinubu escorted Steinmeier to his office for private discussions.
In a statement released on Monday, the German Embassy indicated that Steinmeier would meet with Tinubu as well as Dr. Alieu Touray, the President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission.
Following this, he will travel to Lagos, where he is scheduled to engage with business representatives, visit a start-up hub, and meet with notable figures in Nigeria’s cultural sector and civil society, including Dr. Nike Okundaye and Prof. Wole Soyinka.
“There will also be an opportunity to tour the city of Lagos and gain insights into the urban development of a megacity, including environmental and social challenges,” the statement read.
Steinmeier is the second German leader to visit Nigeria in 14 months and the third European leader to visit the West African state since the Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2022.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz conducted a two-day working visit to Nigeria on October 29, 2023, during which he engaged with business leaders in Lagos the following day.
Tinubu, at Scholz’s invitation, participated in the G20 ‘Compact with Africa Economic Conference’ held in November of the previous year.
The discussions on Wednesday mark over sixty years of diplomatic relations between Germany and Nigeria, characterized by high-level visits that began in 1978 with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt’s trip to Nigeria.
In November 2008, former President Umaru Yar’Adua welcomed German President Horst Koehler in Abuja.
Notably, former Chancellor Angela Merkel was the first head of state from outside Africa to visit Nigeria following Goodluck Jonathan’s election in 2011, returning in August 2018 for discussions with his successor, President Buhari.
In 2016, a visit by then-President Christian Wulff to Nigeria resulted in the establishment of multiple agreements in sectors such as energy, trade, and culture.
These exchanges have been reciprocal, with Nigerian leaders also visiting Germany.
In November 2003, then-President Olusegun Obasanjo traveled to Germany, and President Jonathan undertook a three-day working visit in April 2012.
President Buhari’s inaugural trip outside Africa was to the 41st G7 summit in Elmau.
Throughout this period, both nations have engaged in numerous bilateral agreements and collaborations, particularly in the fields of energy and power.
A significant development was the 2019 agreement signed by President Buhari with the German energy firm Siemens, aimed at generating a minimum of 25,000 megawatts of electricity for Nigeria’s power grid by 2025.
Additionally, Nigeria has benefited from Germany’s expertise in renewable energy, particularly in solar and wind sectors, through technology transfer and capacity-building initiatives.
