Buhari wants bigger German investments in infrastructure, power

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday told the German envoy that Nigeria looked forward to greater investments in infrastructure, especially power.

Buhari, who spoke when he received Letter of Credence from the Ambassador of Germany, Birgitt Ory, at the State House, Abuja, said Nigerians ‘eagerly’ expected investments in the power sector that would illuminate their homes and stimulate businesses.

The president, who assured German companies that the government would honour terms of agreements on investments in the country, said the agreements signed with the German company, Siemens, on power was most welcoming for the country.

Buhari, in a release issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, on Thursday said Nigeria looked forward to partnerships that would be mutually beneficial.

He said the country remained grateful to Germany for humanitarian interventions in the North East for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the visit of the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to Nigeria in August 2018, which further strengthened bi-lateral relations.

The Ambassador, who said it was a great privilege to serve in Nigeria which had always been her aspiration, described the country as “the biggest and most important country in Africa”.

Amb. Ory congratulated Nigeria for holding two key positions in the United Nations, Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, and President of the UN General Assembly, Prof. Tijani Mohammad-Bande, saying the country’s rising global profile reflects its pivotal role in Africa and West African region.

The German envoy, who also assured the president that she would work towards improved relations between both countries, hailed him for Nigeria’s role in ECOWAS with renewed focus on economy and security.

Buhari, who also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Ethiopia, Azanaw Tadesse Abreha, encouraged diplomats to stay longer in the country in order to understand the dynamics of the culture, economy and landscape.

The president, who said “Nigeria is big and versatile and requires longer period of stay to be understood, added that “With your staff at the embassy, you need to stay longer and move around to really appreciate the country.”

While saying that the bilateral relations with Ethiopia had been steady and rewarding for both countries, he implored the ambassador to further strengthen the bond.

The Ethiopian ambassador, who said he would promote strategic relations between Nigeria and his country, pledged to take “the relations to the highest level” of mutual respect.