The government of Qatar has declined a request from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to visit the country for a business and investment meeting due to legal disagreements.
In a letter sent to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Qatari authorities said they were unable to host President Tinubu and the proposed forum scheduled for March 2 and 3.
Qatar explained that the reason for rejecting Tinubu’s visit was because of the absence of a legally binding agreement between the two countries for the promotion of investment.
The letter stated that Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry had prior commitments on the requested dates.
“The Embassy has the honour to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologises that it will not be able to hold a Business and Investment Forum as proposed by the Nigerian side. There is no agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Investment Promotion and Protection,” the letter stated.
Qatar said that its Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani, would be engaged in official missions outside the country during the proposed visit period, making him unavailable to meet with President Tinubu.
Additionally, Qatar mentioned hosting its own ‘web summit’ at the same time as President Tinubu’s planned visit, creating a busy schedule for its officials.
“The State of Qatar will be hosting a web summit during the suggested period, and the state’s authorities will be preoccupied with this event,” the letter added.
A similar incident occurred in 2023 when the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) refuted an announcement by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, claiming that a visa ban on Nigerians had been lifted after President Tinubu’s visit to the UAE’s leader, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
