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Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Economic Reforms
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pledged support to Nigeria’s economic reform efforts during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Riyadh on Monday.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Arab-Islamic Summit, focused on enhancing cooperation between the two countries, particularly in areas such as oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure, and the establishment of the Saudi-Nigeria Business Council.
A key topic discussed was Nigeria’s proposal for a $5 billion bilateral trade agreement with Saudi Arabia.
In 2022, the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) made a significant move by investing $1.24 billion to acquire a 35.43% stake in Olam Agri, one of Nigeria’s top agricultural firms.
Talks are now underway to increase SALIC’s stake in the company, with the hope that this investment will help Olam become one of the world’s largest agro-allied businesses.
Crown Prince Mohammed praised President Tinubu’s economic reforms, noting that they mirrored his own steps to stabilize and develop Saudi Arabia when he first became Prime Minister.
He assured Nigeria of his continued support and vowed to motivate his team to push forward the various collaborative projects discussed.
Present at the meeting were several key Saudi officials, including the Minister of National Guard, Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, and the Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Meanwhile, the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit, which took place in Riyadh on November 11, 2024, reinforced Nigeria’s commitment, along with other member states, to the Ministerial Committee tasked with engaging global leaders to bring an end to the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
The committee, led by Saudi Arabia, also includes foreign ministers from Nigeria, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia, Palestine, and Jordan.
The summit’s final resolution called for intensifying efforts to end the violence in Gaza and Lebanon.
It emphasized the importance of international cooperation to support the Palestinian cause and protect the sovereignty of Palestine, particularly East Jerusalem, which was reaffirmed as the eternal capital of Palestine.
Leaders also condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza, describing them as crimes against humanity, and expressed unwavering support for Lebanon’s stability and security.
The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has spoken on Nigeria’s economy, stating that the country lacks a good maintenance culture.
She said “The fact is that endowments alone do not add value. Budgetary allocations alone do not lead to new roads or good maintenance.”
“We lack a maintenance culture in the country. I have to say that. I’m Nigerian, but we need that. We need better ports and digital infrastructure, and lower trade costs. Execution is what matters, and successful execution requires focus. It requires prioritisation.”
Politician and former presidential candidate Peter Obi speaks on President Bola Tinubu’s comments regarding the rising hunger and worsening economic situation in Nigeria.
It can be noted that the President recently stated that hunger has always existed in Nigeria.
Peter Obi responded “I watched with deep concern the statement made by President Bola Tinubu to the Catholic Bishops, that there has always been hunger in Nigeria, even before he was born.”
“While it is true that hunger has been a part of human life and has existed in our country for decades, such a statement appears insensitive to the plight of the millions of Nigerians who face worsening economic hardship today.”
Reports have been shared stating that the Nigerian Army has launched a new programme designed to train and improve the skills of engineers in tackling threats posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
The seminar is being organised by the 41 Engineer Brigade of the 1 Division Nigerian Army.
It was stated “Improvised Explosive Devices have become one of the greatest security threats confronting the Nigerian Army in ongoing counter-insurgency operations. Their widespread use has complicated military operations and humanitarian activities in conflict-affected areas.”
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