Kehinde Fajobi
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday hosted German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
Steinmeier, who arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday evening, met Tinubu at the Villa’s forecourt around 11:06 a.m.
Accompanied by a business delegation of CEOs and senior board members from Germany’s leading firms in IT, high-tech, and energy, Steinmeier was received with the German and Nigerian national anthems before inspecting a Guard of Honour mounted by the Presidential Brigade of Guards.
A 21-gun salute followed the reception before Tinubu led the German president into his office for closed-door discussions.
The German Embassy, in a statement released on Monday, outlined Steinmeier’s itinerary, which includes meetings with Tinubu and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Alieu Touray.
He is also set to visit Lagos, where he will interact with business leaders, explore a start-up hub, and engage with cultural icons like 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 embassy said.
Steinmeier’s visit marks him as the second German leader to visit Nigeria within 14 months, continuing decades of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The tradition of high-level visits dates back to 1978 when then-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt visited Nigeria. Recent visits include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in October 2023 and Angela Merkel in 2011 and 2018.
Nigerian leaders have also reciprocated, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo visiting Germany in 2003 and President Muhammadu Buhari attending the G7 Summit in Elmau.
These exchanges have fostered agreements in energy, trade, and cultural collaboration.
One notable partnership includes the 2019 deal between Nigeria and German energy company Siemens to deliver 25,000 megawatts of electricity to Nigeria by 2025.
Additionally, Germany has supported Nigeria in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind projects.
Trade relations remain robust, with Nigeria exporting €1.9 billion worth of oil to Germany in 2022, while Germany exported goods worth €1.1 billion, primarily machinery and electronics, to Nigeria.
After their closed-door meeting, Tinubu and Steinmeier are expected to address the press.