Tinubu’s foreign trips strategic, productive, advocacy group slams ADC

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: Abuja-based good governance advocacy group, Hope Alive Initiative HAI has berated the African Democratic Congress ADC for attacking President Bola Tinubu over his diplomatic shuttles, saying the foreign engagements are deliberate missions that are delivering concrete economic, diplomatic and security benefits to the nation.

In a statement on Wednesday, the group dismissed claims by opposition figures that the travels are frivolous, asserting instead that the President’s “shuttle diplomacy” has successfully unlocked critical investments and restored Nigeria’s standing on the global stage.

HAI’s Director of Press and Communications, Ernest Omo, pointed to the president’s recent visit to China as a watershed moment for Nigeria’s industrialization drive.

According to HAI, the engagement secured a staggering $3.3 billion in Foreign Direct Investment specifically for the Brass Industrial Park and Methanol Complex in Bayelsa State.

Beyond energy, the China trip yielded manufacturing pacts with the Chilwee Group and Choice International for vehicle assembly and electric tricycle production, alongside infrastructure partnerships with Huawei for Smart City development and priority access to China’s $51 billion African development pledge.

Regarding the United Arab Emirates, HAI recalled that before the President’s intervention, Nigeria was embroiled in a diplomatic standoff involving visa bans and flight suspensions.

The group noted that the trip successfully resolved the diplomatic standoff, leading to the lifting of visa bans and the resumption of flights without debt repayment conditions. Furthermore, the UAE visit produced a multi-billion-dollar investment framework covering defense and agriculture, including $45 million from the Abu Dhabi Fund for the Minna–Bida Road project and duty-free access for over 7,000 Nigerian products.

The advocacy group further highlighted the tangible impacts of the President’s visits to Brazil and Türkiye.

“The visit to Brazil strengthened Nigeria’s food security through the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Project, which is set to deliver 10,000 tractors and 50,000 units of farm equipment nationwide.

“Additionally, the deepening of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement will enable direct Lagos–São Paulo flights, which are projected to generate trade valued at $3.5 billion by the year 2030.

“In Türkiye, the President’s visit focused on deepening defense cooperation and expanding trade opportunities.

“Military protocols signed during the engagement are expected to enhance Nigeria’s counter-terrorism capacity through advanced drone operations and satellite intelligence. On the economic front, trade relations between both nations are projected to grow from $2 billion to $5 billion annually through the newly established Joint Economy and Trade Committee”, the statement added.

Defending the president’s active role in international relations, the group said the results are now visible to the public.

He maintained that for once, Nigeria has a President active in the diplomatic space, working hard to attract foreign investments and improve the nation’s image.

The group concluded by urging critics to be constructive and fact-based, insisting that these trips are not frivolous excursions but are laying the foundation for a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.

The post Tinubu’s foreign trips strategic, productive, advocacy group slams ADC appeared first on Vanguard News.