In a statement, President Tinubu's special communications and strategy advisor, Bayo Onanuga, said that the "leaked memo was not a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari government."
He said that the Presidency is aware of diplomatic correspondence between Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja that was leaked and concerned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's state visit to Qatar on March 2–3, 2024.
Onanuga stated, "The diplomatic document that miscreants leaked about an investment forum is not in any way a slight against President Tinubu by the Qatari government."
According to the leaked memo, Qatar claimed that the absence of a legally binding agreement between its nation and Nigeria for the promotion of investment was the reason President Tinubu's request for a tour to the business and investment forum was denied.
Onanuga, however, drew attention to the fact that Qatar's ministry of trade had other obligations on the days President Tinubu wished to travel, as stated in a letter sent to the Nigerian government.
"The Embassy has the honor 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," the message delivered on Thursday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria cited Qatar as saying.
“There is no any agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Investment Promotion and Protection,” it said.
“The country further stressed that its Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani “will be carrying out official missions outside the country during the upcoming visit period” which makes him unavailable to meet with the Nigerian leader”.
But Onanuga in his response explained that ” the Note Verbale is about a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum to be held on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s State Visit”.
He revealed that the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar's Chambers of Commerce and Industry are organizing the event mentioned in the newspaper article, where businesspeople from Nigeria will talk to their Qatari counterparts about the commercial and investment opportunities that exist in both countries.
"We note the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries and affirm that President Bola Tinubu is visiting Qatar on the invitation of His Highness, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar," he said.
“The State Visit is particularly aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
“NACCIMA and Qatar Chambers of Commerce and Industry are collaborating to take advantage of President Tinubu’s visit to Doha to mobilise the business community from our two countries to explore opportunities in key economic sectors such as oil & gas, manufacturing, agro-business, construction, real estate, ICT, Renewable Energy, Solid Minerals and service sector, among others.”
He emphasized again that President Tinubu is due to travel to Qatar on the planned state visit and that the Nigerian leader will hold high-level bilateral talks with the leader of Qatar on a wide variety of significant topics, including diplomatic and economic ones.
“It is not correct for anyone to insinuate that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian leader over a business and investment forum which is tangential to the all-important State Visit and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest.
“President Tinubu and His Highness Al-Thani are both committed to maintaining and building on the existing cordial and special relationship between Nigeria and the State of Qatar.”
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