Empty booth narrative misrepresents Nigeria’s mission at TICAD9

The Presidency has dismissed reports suggesting Nigeria was absent or unprepared at the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Japan, saying the narrative around an “empty booth” misrepresents the country’s mission and engagements at the summit.

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In a statement on Wednesday, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said the portrayal of Nigeria’s participation through the lens of a single unmanned booth “totally misrepresented our country’s mission and activities at the conference.”

According to him, the delegation, led by President Bola Tinubu, is focused on bilateral and multilateral meetings aimed at boosting power, industry and agriculture.

“The Nigerian official delegation working with Corporate Nigeria, represented by some of our leading business leaders, didn’t come to Yokohama and Tokyo to attend any Trade Expo, designed as an open forum for participating nations,” Mr Onanuga said.

According to him, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) will host an investment forum on Thursday.

He explained further that ministers are holding sideline talks with global institutions, while President Tinubu is scheduled to meet executives of Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, UNDP and the International Finance Corporation.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, is leading discussions on projects with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including the Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement, a partnership between the National Power Training Institute and JICA, and the $190 million Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-up programme. Mr Adelabu is also expected to negotiate with TOSHIBA and HITACHI.

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The statement said the Bank of Industry, led by Managing Director Supo Olusi, is also holding talks with JICA and other multilateral institutions on its annual global fund syndication.

The clarification comes after attendees found Nigeria’s booth at the conference and trade expo empty.

A Nigerian participant, Idris Bello, co-founder of The Wennovation Hub and one of Africa’s leading angel investors and startup advisors, posted videos showing that the country’s booth was unmanned.

Mr Bello said he was “ashamed” to find the booth empty and stepped in to engage visitors and potential investors, providing insights into different sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The tweet caused outrage as other participants at the conference backed him and volunteered to help.

“Had an interesting time manning the Nigeria booth today with Idris,” Ola Brown, another participant, posted on X.

“Unfortunately, the booth was left unstaffed by the Nigerian public sector team, but we still had engaging conversations with academics, private business owners, and NGOs who asked great questions.”

David Brown, another Nigerian professional at the summit, also weighed in.

“We are on the ground to support our dear country,” he tweeted.

“But this is so disappointing, more so that the Japanese are so eager to do business with us, but we prioritise vibes!! Anyway, we are on the ground in Japan.”

The controversy has sparked concern that Nigeria is failing to maximise opportunities at TICAD, a triennial forum established in 1993 to strengthen economic cooperation between Japan and Africa.

READ ALSO: In Japan, Tinubu praises Nigerias armed forces

This year’s edition is seen as a key platform for trade, investment, and partnership deals across infrastructure, technology, and energy transition.

Mr Onanuga, however, insisted the viral picture is misleading and that Nigeria is actively taking part in TICAD9 through key meetings and negotiations.

“Social media posts are often sensational and do not tell complete stories, just as the trending video does not capture Nigeria’s participation at TICAD 9. Our country is fully and well represented and part of the essential conversations and negotiations that are going on at TICAD9,” he said.