German President visits Nigeria, focus on energy cooperation

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with his Nigerian counterpart Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja, the capital of Africa’s most populous country, on Wednesday, December 11, where he is on a two-day visit.

Talks discussed partnership between the two countries, with focus on energy cooperation.

“We have with Nigeria one of the longest energy partnerships that Germany has ever had”, Steinmeier said, adding that it was not limited to oil and gas. Energy partnership between the two nations has focused heavily “on solar and wind energy in recent years,” but the next goal is “hydrogen production,” he said.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier is accompanied by a delegation of representing German companies active in the fields of energy (Siemens, Enertrag, Off-Grid Europe, Neuman & Esser), finance (Exficon), distribution (C. Woermann), and new technologies (Dermalog, LiveEO).

“Our businessmen and our political decision-makers are very keen to do business with Germany. My aim is to continue to give you the assurance that our commercial doors are open and that our reforms are working very well,” assured the Nigerian head of state at the end of the meeting.

Since coming to power in May 2023, Tinubu has implemented major structural reforms such as the end of fuel subsidies and the liberalization of the naira, the local currency, in order to attract foreign investment.

The German president was also due to meet during his Nigerian stay with Omar Alieu Touray, the president of the Abuja-based Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He was also due to travel to Lagos, the country’s economic capital, to meet with the business community as well as Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka, and Nike Okundaye, founder of one of the largest art galleries in West Africa, before leaving the country this Thursday, December 12.