The Presidency on Saturday in Abuja debunked insinuations that Qatari authorities had stopped the scheduled state visit by President Bola Tinubu to the country.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated that the state visit would still hold between March 2 and March 4.
Onanuga explained that a leaked memo focused on a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum to be held on the margins of the president’s state visit.
“We are aware of a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Tinubu’s visit between March 2 and March 3, 2024.
“The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub on Tinubu by the Qatari government.
“The business meeting is being put together by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
“Business people from Nigeria planned to engage their counterparts from Qatar on commercial and investment opportunities available in both countries,’’ Onanuga stated.
He added that NACCIMA and Qatari Chambers of Commerce and Industry were collaborating to take advantage of the president’s visit to Doha.
He stated also that the collaboration was to mobilise the business communities from the two countries to explore opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
They also planned to explore opportunities in manufacturing, agro-business, construction, real estate, ICT, renewable energy, solid minerals and service sector, among others.