The Presidency has dismissed social media claims that Nigeria’s participation at the ongoing 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, was reduced to an empty booth at a trade exhibition.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Wednesday, said the viral video of a booth labelled “Nigeria” misrepresented the country’s mission at the triennial conference.
Onanuga explained that Nigeria’s delegation, led by President Bola Tinubu, was focused on securing tangible outcomes from bilateral and multilateral engagements in critical sectors such as power, industry, and agriculture, not on showcasing products at a trade fair.
He clarified that the Nigerian government, working with corporate leaders, did not attend TICAD9 to participate in the open forum trade exhibition but to pursue strategic discussions.
He added that the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is instead scheduled to host a dedicated investment forum on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
“The Nigerian delegation didn’t come to Yokohama and Tokyo to attend any trade expo designed as an open forum for participating nations. Our team is fully engaged in the essential conversations and negotiations that matter for Nigeria’s growth,” Onanuga said.
According to him, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, is leading negotiations with Japanese partners on several projects funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
These include the Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement project, a partnership with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) for vocational training, and a $190 million renewable energy scale-up initiative.
The statement also noted that Adelabu is scheduled to meet with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as Toshiba and Hitachi, while the Bank of Industry, led by Dr. Supo Olusi, is holding talks with JICA and other institutions for its annual global fund syndication.
President Tinubu is expected to engage top executives of Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, UNDP, and the International Finance Corporation as part of Nigeria’s broader agenda at TICAD9.
Onanuga stressed that social media posts tend to sensationalise issues without capturing the full picture, noting that Nigeria is “fully and well represented” at the conference.
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