Diplomatic row brews as Qatar rejects Tinubu’s visit, request for investment forum

What appears to be a diplonatic row is brewing as the Government of Qatar has rejected a request by Nigeria for a business visit and investment forum to be attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While turning down the request, the Qatari government in a letter dated February 22, 2024 and addressed to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared that it would not be able to welcome President Tinubu and hold the proposed forum on March 2 and 3 due to the lack of a legally binding agreement between Qatar and Nigeria for the promotion of investment.

The Qatari government further said that its ministry of commerce had other commitments on the days Mr Tinubu desired to visit, stressing that there was no agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Investment Promotion and Protection.

Read apart of the letter: “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 Nigerian side.”

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It also said that its Commerce and Industry Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani would be carrying out official missions outside the country during the proposed visit period which would make him unavailable to meet with the Nigerian leader.

Qatar said that its officials would be too busy hosting its own ‘web summit’ the same time President Tinubu planned to visit, adding that its authorities would be preoccupied with the event.

The Qatari government also failed to reschedule the business forum to a more convenient time suggesting its unwillingness to forge any economic alliance with Nigeria.

This was as the United Arab Emirates last year faulted an announcement that a visa ban on Nigerians had been lifted after President Tinubu visited the UAE leader, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.