Tinubu Welcomes Four New Envoys, Pledges Open-Door Policy

Tinubu also expressed his administration’s commitment to operating an open-door policy to attract investment opportunities to the country.

Consequently, when receiving letters of credence from four ambassadors who began their duty tours on Tuesday, Tinubu urged them to freely provide their inputs in terms of advice on policy direction for the administration.

“We will maintain an open-door policy. We are ready to do anything that will make your stay rewarding and our relationship strong. Do not hesitate to bring up any matter with the Foreign Minister or my Chief of Staff; they will bring it to my attention,” Tinubu said.

The new envoys include the Ambassador of Angola to Nigeria, Mr. Jose Zau; the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Nigeria, Mr. Pieter Leenknegt; the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Nigeria, Mr. Sevin Baera, and the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Nigeria, Mr. Albert Castelar.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu emphasizes investment opportunities as Foreign Ambassadors present letters of credence,’ it was revealed that Tinubu assured the foreign ambassadors in Nigeria that his administration is ready to maintain open lines of communication and cooperation to advance mutually beneficial economic opportunities across sectors.

In separate meetings with the Ambassadors, Tinubu highlighted the importance of strong diplomatic relations and expressed his willingness to engage with foreign missions.

He assured the Ambassadors that the Foreign Ministry and his Chief of Staff’s Office would always be available to interact with the foreign missions and address any matter of concern.

During his meeting with the Angolan Ambassador, Tinubu congratulated President Joao Lourenco of Angola on his re-election, referring to him as “a very good friend.”

In his discussions with the Norwegian Ambassador, Tinubu shared his vision for Nigeria’s energy transition, stating that the shift from petroleum to gas to hydrogen is a priority for his administration.

He appealed to Norway and other EU member countries to support his administration’s economic reform programs, particularly in the areas of food security, preservation, and other key agro-allied investments.

“You are a valuable partner, and we need your support. We have the population in Nigeria, and one out of every five black persons is a Nigerian.

“We must stimulate our economy. If Nigeria succeeds, Africa succeeds. This government is promoting a lot of reforms, and it is committed to improving the ease of doing business,” the President said.

The Angolan Ambassador expressed gratitude to Nigeria for its role in liberating his country from colonial rule and expressed his commitment to building sustainable partnerships between the two nations.

“I have four years to stay in the country, and I have the mandate of my President to build bridges between our countries. I am here to work to build a sustainable partnership,” Zau said.

Belgium’s Leenknegt discussed the commercial linkages between the port of Antwerp and ports in Lagos and Onitsha. He also expressed interest in expanding Belgian companies’ presence to the Calabar port.

He called for enhanced ministerial engagements between the two countries, highlighting Belgian companies’ interest in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.

Norway’s Baera congratulated Tinubu on the recent affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.

“The bold steps you have taken on economic reforms since your assumption of office have been well received by Norwegian firms,” he said.

Underscoring the need to strengthen business partnerships between the two nations, the Ambassador noted the great interest of Norwegian firms in Nigeria’s agriculture and energy sectors, pointing out recent investments in Nigeria’s growing cocoa and solar panel industry.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Nigeria called for the establishment of direct flights between Nigeria and Venezuela. He also expressed his country’s desire to deepen economic partnerships between the two oil-producing nations across multiple sectors in terms of trade and investment.