By Obiabin Onukwugha
President, Bola Tinubu has expressed confidence that the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), will strengthen Africa–Japan ties, attract sustainable investments, and unlock innovation for the continent.
Tinubu on Tuesday arrived in Tokyo, Japan, ahead of the three-day summit, scheduled for August 20–22 at the Pacifico Yokohama.
The summit is expected to bring together African leaders, development partners, and global stakeholders to discuss strategies for Africa’s economic transformation.
In a post on his official X handle, @officialABAT, the president noted that Nigeria would play a key role at the summit in shaping solutions for Africa’s future.
“This summit is about strengthening Africa–Japan ties, attracting sustainable investments, and unlocking innovation to benefit our people. Nigeria is at the table, not as a bystander, but as a leader shaping solutions for Africa’s future,” the post read.
Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that Nigeria would be pushing for reforms in the global financial system at the summit.
Launched in 1993, TICAD is a triennial forum initiated by the Japanese government and co-hosted by the United Nations, UNDP, the African Union Commission, and the World Bank. It alternates between Africa and Japan, with Tunisia hosting the last edition in 2022.
This year’s theme: “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa”, is to focus on driving private investment, innovation, and institutional reforms to accelerate growth, while also promoting resilience, peace, and human security across the continent.
During the conference, President Tinubu is expected to hold bilateral meetings with world leaders and engage top Japanese chief executives with significant investments in Nigeria.
