The Nigerian Presidency has addressed viral photos circulating on social media showing an empty booth labeled “Nigeria” at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, dismissed the images as a “total misrepresentation” of Nigeria’s active participation at the summit. He clarified that the focus of the Nigerian delegation, led by President Tinubu, is not on the trade expo but on high-level bilateral and multilateral engagements aimed at securing tangible economic outcomes.
“Nigeria didn’t come to Japan to simply attend an exhibition,” Onanuga said in a statement on Tuesday. “The President and his team are focused on critical negotiations to boost performance in key sectors like power, industry, and agriculture.”
According to Onanuga, the President is holding closed-door meetings with major global entities such as Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, the UNDP, and the International Finance Corporation. These talks are part of a broader strategy to attract investment and foster international partnerships.
In the power sector, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu is spearheading discussions on several JICA-funded projects, including the Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement initiative. The minister is also advancing negotiations with equipment giants TOSHIBA and HITACHI, while solidifying vocational training collaborations between JICA and the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN).
Other initiatives under review include the $190 million Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-up project.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Industry, led by Dr. Supo Olusi, is in talks with JICA and other global financial institutions on fund syndication efforts. Additionally, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is set to host an investment forum on August 21, 2025.
Onanuga urged Nigerians not to be misled by out-of-context social media posts, noting that the country is fully engaged and playing a strategic role in the ongoing summit.
“Our country is well represented and actively involved in key conversations at TICAD9,” he emphasized.
