Nigerians have expressed outrage on social media after the country’s booth at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) was left unmanned, sparking embarrassment and criticism directed at the Federal Government.
The conference began on Wednesday, August 20, and runs through Friday, August 22, in Yokohama, Japan.
The controversy erupted after Idris Bello, a participant at TICAD9, posted photos and commentary on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting Nigeria’s empty booth amid active displays by other African nations.
“I hate to show negative things about Nigeria,” Bello wrote, “but it is sad that Nigeria is the only unmanned booth at TICAD9 in Japan. So ashamed, I have now designated myself as Honorary Consul and taken over the booth to engage visitors.”
Dr Ola Brown, another Nigerian attendee, echoed the sentiment, noting that although public sector officials failed to man the booth, private citizens like herself and Bello took the initiative to interact with visitors.
“Eswatini, Cape Verde, and Lesotho all had fully decorated and staffed booths,” she added, calling the contrast a missed opportunity for Nigeria to engage meaningfully at the global event.
In response to the backlash, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement via its official X handle, claiming the Nigerian booth had not yet been opened and would be officially inaugurated on Thursday, August 21.
This explanation did little to calm public anger. “How do you open your booth on the second day of a three-day conference?” journalist Oladeinde Olawoyin asked, calling it yet another example of Nigeria’s inefficiency in promoting international trade and investment.
Other social media users were quick to fact-check the Ministry’s claims, pointing out that the exhibition hall housing the Nigerian booth was already active, with Nigeria listed in ongoing programs.
“TICAD spans just 23 hours over three days, and the Nigerian booth is inactive for more than 40% of that time. That’s hard to justify,” user Agbeja Ifedapo noted.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also weighed in, labeling the situation a “show of shame.” He criticized the administration for its poor coordination and remarked, “Two years into this administration, we are probably waiting for an official ‘unveiling’ of Renewed Hope before Nigerians can experience good governance.”
Later in the day, Bello updated followers, revealing that embassy officials eventually showed up around 6:30 p.m., reportedly following internal pressure from viral posts online.
Ironically, President Bola Tinubu was en route to Japan during the debacle. According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the president was scheduled to attend TICAD9, hold bilateral meetings, and engage Japanese business leaders on investment opportunities in Nigeria.
However, critics argue that Nigeria’s disorganized presence at such a high-profile event undermines the very investment drive the government claims to pursue.
