Nigeria, Qatar sign pacts to foster education, others

.Report corrupt officials, Tinubu tells investors

President Bola Tinubu and Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, yesterday, in Doha, witnessed the signing of historic agreements between both nations, opening a gateway for leveraging the potential of cooperation in pivotal sectors of education, enterprise development, investment promotion, youth empowerment, mining, tourism and sports.

Before the signing at the Qatar Presidential Palace, Tinubu assured his host of Nigeria’s preparedness to welcome investors into the country, pointing to his administration’s ongoing reforms that encourage innovation, returns on investments and multiculturalism.

His words: “Our greatest strength is our people. Our strength lies in the capacity of Nigerian youths. They have energy, talent, and self-belief. They are quality partners for the Qatari industry. They are educated and reliable, and they are proactively seeking to add value wherever they are. A few cannot give a bad name to the many. Nigerian youths are ready to be unleashed for the mutual benefit of both nations.

“We have seen the rapid pace and thorough quality of Qatar’s development process. It is impossible not to be moved by what you have accomplished. The leadership in the country has proven its mettle and we are here to gain deeper insight.”

Assuring the international business community, the president vowed to crush entrenched interests and obstacles to investor’s confidence.

He told Qatari investors that Africa’s largest economy and its systems are being reformed and upgraded, urging captains of industry to report any government official, who demands a bribe or any form of inducement at any point in their business endeavours.

Speaking at the Nigeria-Qatar Business and Investment Forum in Doha, he pledged to dismantle all bottlenecks to profitable and legitimate enterprise.

He immediately named Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, as team leader to interface with the Qatari authorities in investment identification and implementation.

During the deliberations, Tinubu enabled a brief presentation to the Emir by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake.

The bilateral engagement was followed by a closed-door meeting between the two leaders before they proceeded to inking the pacts.

The seven agreements include: a cooperation agreement in the field of education; regulation of employment of workers with the Qatari government; establishment of a joint business council (JBC) between Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), in addition to a pact in the field of youths and sports.

The others are: cooperation in the field of tourism and business events and a memorandum of understanding against illicit trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The documents were signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar and relevant Qatari officials, including Buthaina Bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr Ahmad Hassen Al-Hammadi and Secretary General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jassim Al Thani.