The Qatari government has rebuffed a request from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to visit the country for a business and investment meeting, citing the absence of a binding agreement between the two nations for investment promotion.
In a letter addressed to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatari authorities expressed their inability to accommodate President Tinubu’s proposed forum scheduled for March 2 and 3. They cited prior commitments of Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry on the specified dates.
Furthermore, Qatar clarified that there is no existing agreement between Qatar and Nigeria regarding Investment Promotion and Protection. The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani, will be engaged in official missions abroad during the proposed visit period, rendering him unavailable to meet with the Nigerian leader.
Qatar highlighted its hosting of a web summit during the same timeframe as Tinubu’s planned visit, indicating that its officials would be preoccupied with the event. This development underscores the challenges facing Tinubu’s efforts to foster investment relations with Qatar.
