Victor EzejaPublic Affairs Analyst Dr Ambrose Igboke, has asserted that Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu’s trip to Qatar has no tangible benefit to the country but another waste of public resources.
President Tinubu, who was on a state visit to Qatar from March 2 to 3, 2024, was accompanied by a 38-man delegation comprising some ministers, some states governors amongst others.
Speaking at the Nigeria-Qatar Business Forum on Sunday, President Tinubu told the Qatari Investors that Nigeria is open for business, adding that Africa’s largest economy and its systems are being reformed and upgraded.
He urged Qatar’s captains of industry who are willing to invest in the economy to report any government official who demands bribes or any form of inducement at any point in their business endeavor moving forward, assuring them of direct access to the president’s office.
The president also signed a seven-point agreement at the meeting. According to a statement from the presidency, the agreements would enhance mutual cooperation in vital sectors such as education, enterprise development, investment promotion, youth empowerment, mining, tourism, and sports.
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Dr Igboke, an international affairs analyst, however, contended that all the agreements signed with Qatari business leaders have nothing to offer Nigeria.
He said Nigeria is in a critical economic situation and Qatar was not the best place to go and seek solution to the emergency.
“Nigeria is in a critical economic condition that needs serious surgical intervention. The President’s trip to Qatar is another waste of resources. All the agreements reached have nothing to offer Nigeria,” Igboke, who is also chairman of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts, Enugu State chapter said in an interview with News Central monitored by Prime Business Africa.
Speaking on the possibility of achieving something under youth empowerment, education and sports, which are part of the bilateral agreement, the analyst said Nigeria should engage with countries like UK, USA, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, Germany and South Africa, where the youths can emigrate to for business, studies, and sports amongst others not Qatar.
He maintained that Qatar is not a destination for many Nigerians seeking foreign education, career in sports or adventure in tourism.
He observed that Qatar has a small population and “does not have the capacity to accommodate the quantum of Nigerians emigrating.”
“In terms of gas, Qatar is not even among our Joint Venture Companies (JVCs) or among the major International Oil Companies (IOCs) that are exploring and exploiting Nigeria’s oil and gas. Again, we missed it,” Igboke insisted.
He called on Nigerian leaders to start having strategic engagements with other foreign countries in a way that do not belittle the country. “We are the Eagle not the rat,” he added.
He further argued that only Qataris will benefit from the agreements signed not Nigeria.
“Whatever investment Qatar is bringing to Nigeria will not be for the benefit of Nigeria, it will be for the benefit of Qatar. So, as usual, we are ready to open up our economy for them to come and they will come and pick whatever they want to pick and move away because we have nothing to offer them in return. So, we should be going for balance of scale here.”
He added that Nigeria has a huge population and vast resources that the Middle East country can’t serve as a veritable market for its products.
He maintained his earlier stand that going to Qatar was a mere show that has nothing to offer the country, rather Qatar will gain more.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
