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| German’s Angela Merkel and Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari |
intensely busy State Visit to Germany which, as is usual with his
foreign engagements, was characterized by punishing schedules.
Unfortunately, an important trip such as this one planned to boost trade
and investment, enhance security partnership and pitch the country to
eager investors became overshadowed by public outcry over some remarks
President Muhammadu Buhari made in Germany, which have sadly been
misconstrued by the media and some members of the public.
assure you that President Buhari’s sense of humor is one of his most
distinguishing characteristics, despite his stern mien.
comments clearly do not reflect his attitude towards women, a number of
whom he has appointed into key positions in his administration, neither
do they reflect his attitude towards his wife, Hajiya Aisha, as anyone
can see from their history together.
an invaluable support to his wife, and I know that he has great plans
for every Nigerian woman. Five of his daughters have acquired university
degrees. One of them just finished law school and another one
undertakes a higher degree program.
Nigerians will put an end to the unfair insinuations that have been
generated by President Buhari’s jocularity. Seeing a well-meaning leader
being so misunderstood is painful for me.
continues to give him the grace and wisdom he requires to steer Nigeria
through this difficult time in our country’s history.
course of this historic visit, he held formal talks with Chancellor
Angela Merkel, a roundtable with the German President Joachim Gauck, a
meeting with business leaders and an interactive session with Nigerians
resident in Europe. A number of side, but equally important meetings
were dotted in-between these.
President Buhari’s Berlin agenda were security, trade and investment,
climate change and its consequences for the Nigerian eco-space. A
breakthrough was achieved in all areas covered by the discussions.
Chancellor Merkel was the first leader of a major economic power in the
world to have foreseen what a Muhammadu Buhari administration would
mean to Nigeria, Africa and the world. As Chairperson of the “G 7” group
of industrialized nations, she extended a hand of fellowship to him
upon his victory in the 2015 elections. She asked him to be ready with
his wish list and be present at the G 7 meeting to brief its leaders.
Since that time, there had been a big demand for President Buhari all
over the world, a demand that our officials in Foreign Affairs insisted
must be cashed on or else we missed the opportunity.
Gauck came here in February at the head of a business delegation, a
visit that pushed the existing relations up by several notches as
manifested by the setting up of a one-stop investment center to
facilitate foreign investment and partnerships.
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proposed a twining of two cities, Lagos and Frankfurt to facilitate the
sharing of experience, meeting of businesses, trade and investment as
well as exchange of visits by officials.
visit by President Gauck, a pledge by the EU to spend fifty million Euro
(€50 m.) against terrorism in the Lake Chad basin area was announced.
President Buhari’s state visit brought closer the relationship between
Nigeria and Germany in addition to breakthroughs in several areas of
negotiations.
area is investment. The President and his team held a highly successful
business forum which had in attendance over 100 Nigerian and German
business leaders with interests in industries across Manufacturing,
Information Technology, Healthcare, Construction, Training, Agro
processing, Power, Mining and Consumer businesses.
the meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari decried the current low level of
trade and investment between both countries and Nigeria’s openness for
business and long-term investment from Germany. He highlighted the
steady work of renewal that has started in the country and the progress
that is being recorded in the government’s pillars of security,
governance and the economy.
Nigeria’s compelling fundamentals and stated the priority sectors of the
government in which investments are being sought as being Agriculture,
Industrialization, Solid Minerals, Digital Economy and Infrastructure,
especially power generation.
world has already obtained an exploration license for the mineral and is
looking to commence local production in Nigeria. A well-known consumer
brand with over 50,000 employees worldwide is considering production of
its laundry detergent locally. The company has already invested $250
million locally, with 900 employees. The transition to local production
will significantly increase the number of Nigerians employed.
Nigerian-based pharmaceutical company in partnership with a German
conglomerate is also to commence a renal testing business in Nigeria
before the end of the year.
that the Nigerian Development Bank will soon commence operations to help
provide additional funding to the Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises
(SMEs). As a large contributor to the economy, funding to the SMEs will
help spur inclusive economic growth. He thereafter charged government
officials and the business community to enhance the process of achieving
tangible results that are mutually beneficial to both countries.
A significant takeaway from the Presidential engagement in Germany is
the agreement to give vocational skills training to thousands of our
youth.
apprentice skills. In addition to their reputation for quality
education, the distinguishing feature of the German economy is that
emphasis on skill development.
this trip is a commitment by Germany to share with Nigeria their skills
in agriculture, IT, telecommunications, machinery, aviation, vehicles,
healthcare, construction and so forth.
towards imparting the vocational skills, there will be collaboration
between the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) and a Nigerian
conglomerate to build a technical school for artisans. The school will
train Nigerians for three years, of which 50percent of the time will be
spent in the school and the remaining 50percent of the time spent
gaining practical experience. This model will be scaled up for the other
parts of the country based on the success of this cooperation.
Nigeria and Germany had useful discussions on a program of food
processing locally, rice and oil milling with the aim of leavening that
country’s experience in a new plan by the administration to create
wealth in rural communities.
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fund for agriculture in Nigeria to assist small and medium size
entrepreneurs and cooperatives in the agricultural sector.
A renewable power company with advanced and affordable solar
technologies is going to commence operations in Nigeria. The company is
headed by a Nigerian and have commenced the ground-work to commence
operations early next year.
Commission, agreements were also struck for energy partnership in
renewable energy. Several states characterized by hot weather, mostly in
North have signed for solar Independent Power Project, IPPs. A 30
Megawatt power plant is coming up in Adamawa while Bauchi, Benue, Gombe,
Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Katsina and some others are on the queue.
Chancellor Merkel also pledged increased involvement of Germany in
supporting Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs and the reconstruction of
their destroyed communities.
Germany. On their records, 20,000 Nigerians enter their country each
year. This is a sore issue for Germany. Of these numbers, only about
nine percent of those who enter clandestinely qualify for legal asylum.
To deal with the issue, they have indicated to Nigeria their
willingness to train all prospective deportees in skills they can use
back at home. In addition to this, two other Nigerians will be given
free vocational training for every one deported illegal immigrant.
President Buhari never missed an opportunity to make a pitch for the
recharging of the Lake Chad, now only ten percent of its original size,
whenever he met the leaders of rich countries.
persuaded a long time ago that the best way to save the lake Chad and
the people who inhabit its basin from the corrosive effect of climatic
change is to divert water from the Congo Basin to the Lake Chad.
study financed by Nigeria indicated that USD 15 Billion will be needed
to do this but it is the kind of money that neither this country nor its
neighbors can muster.
climate change has a lot to do with the drastic decline of livelihoods
in the area and is at the root cause of the Boko Haram insurgency, the
President is convinced that recharging the Lake is no longer the sole
business of the Lake Chad Basin countries but that of the wider world.
Given her commitment to saving the environment, Chancellor Merkel had
shown keenness in the project and is willing to be a part of the effort.
Her reported earmarking of €18 billion for the project was misconstrued
from her speech. After a repeated playback of the speech, the same
conclusions were unfortunately drawn. Angela Merkel’s commitment is
however to the tune of €18 million on the Nigerian side and the rest €32
million to the rest of the Lake Chad basin countries, with all of the
money coming from the European Fund. Nevertheless eighteen Million to
support ongoing efforts in the North East is still a mouthwatering
amount.
also had useful discussions on road and rail development, gas
exploration, equipment and surveillance for the protection of oil and
gas infrastructure in Niger Delta, upgrading of Defense Industries
Corporation, DICON, cooperation in rule of law and polio eradication.
Last but not the least, the President used a moment of his time in
Germany to act his role a Commander-in-Chief by paying a visit to a
recuperating army officer injured in the course of duty in the North
East
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