President Bola Tinubu welcomed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Wednesday morning. Steinmeier, who arrived in Abuja on Tuesday evening, met with the President at the villa’s Forecourt at around 11:06 am local time.
Accompanied by a delegation of CEOs and senior executives from some of Germany’s leading companies in IT, high-tech, and energy, the German leader received a formal welcome that included the playing of both the German and Nigerian national anthems, followed by an inspection of the Guard of Honour.
After a 21-gun salute, Tinubu took Steinmeier into his office for private discussions. According to a statement from the German Embassy, Steinmeier is scheduled to meet with Tinubu and Dr. Alieu Touray, the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He will then travel to Lagos to engage with business representatives, visit a startup hub, and meet figures in Nigeria’s cultural and civil society sectors, including Dr. Nike Okundaye and Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Steinmeier’s visit offers a chance to explore Lagos and understand the urban development of the megacity, including its environmental and social challenges. He is the second German leader to visit Nigeria in the past 14 months and the third European leader to do so since the onset of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited on October 29, 2023, for a two-day working trip that included meetings with business leaders in Lagos. Last November, at Scholz’s invitation, Tinubu attended the G20 ‘Compact with Africa Economic Conference.’
Wednesday’s meeting continues a diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Germany that has spanned over six decades and has included high-level visits since 1978, starting with then-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt’s visit. In November 2008, former President Umaru Yar’Adua hosted German President Horst Koehler in Abuja, and Angela Merkel was the first head of state outside Africa to visit Nigeria after Goodluck Jonathan’s election in 2011.
In 2016, Christian Wulff’s visit led to the signing of multiple agreements in energy, trade, and culture. Nigerian leaders have also visited Germany, including Olusegun Obasanjo in November 2003 and Goodluck Jonathan during a three-day working visit in April 2012. President Buhari attended the 41st G7 summit in Elmau, marking his first trip to a non-African country.
Over the years, the two nations have engaged in numerous bilateral agreements, particularly in energy and power, including a significant 2019 deal with German company Siemens aimed at generating at least 25,000 megawatts of electricity for Nigeria’s grid by 2025. Nigeria has benefited from Germany’s expertise in renewable energy, especially in solar and wind sectors, facilitating technology transfer and capacity building.
In 2022, Nigeria exported €1.9 billion worth of oil to Germany, while German exports to Nigeria reached €1.1 billion, with machinery and electronics being the primary imports. After their closed-door discussions, Tinubu and Steinmeier are expected to address the press.
