My Reforms Have Been Hard, Decisions Tough So That We Could Grow; Tinubu Tells Nigerians
On Friday, President Bola Tinubu justified his administration’s economic reforms, emphasising that the tough decisions taken were “necessary” to secure sustainable growth for Nigeria.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja during a meeting with Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, a special envoy from the Amir of the State of Qatar, Tinubu highlighted ongoing efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system, aimed at improving the business climate for foreign investors.
“We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Going by the experiences of the past and the need to depart from old ways, our reforms have been hard,” Tinubu said, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
“I made tough decisions so that we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Reiterating Nigeria’s openness to foreign investment, Tinubu assured the envoy of the country’s potential as a valuable partner.
“You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria. I always follow the global issues and your efforts. You have to do more in Nigeria to help fight poverty in the humanitarian area.
“You have done well in developing a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, but what about Nigeria?”
Tinubu expressed optimism that Nigeria’s partnership with Qatar could be expanded, particularly in the areas of food sovereignty and economic prosperity.
He also affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to implementing the bilateral agreements reached during his state visit to Qatar in 2024.
To ensure timely execution, Tinubu directed the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, to coordinate efforts.
“To all the members of the delegation, I want to say a big thank you for coming to Nigeria. We are grateful to God for what we have experienced as partners in progress.
“I am also glad that the Amir of Qatar greatly remembers the issues discussed during my visit last year,” Tinubu stated.
He praised the strong bilateral relations between Nigeria and Qatar, adding, “Let me commend the brotherly relations between Qatar and Nigeria.
“The ambassador knows that I take Qatar very seriously. We are willing to go further in our bilateral relations.”
Commending Qatar’s role in promoting global peace, Tinubu said, “I am proud of your efforts to bring peace and stability to the world. I see your efforts in human development, peace, and prosperity.
“Like you, we are sandwiched between the challenge of terrorism and helping our neighbours. We are conscious of who our friends are and those helping us to ameliorate the problems.”
In response, Dr Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, conveyed the Amir’s strong interest in deepening bilateral cooperation.
He announced that a high-level Qatari business delegation would visit Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and other strategic sectors.
“We are proud of the level of relations we have reached with Nigeria. I am very impressed with our partnership with the country, which is not just government-to-government but also people-to-people,” Al-Khulaifi said.
He noted that Qatar is keen to enhance collaboration in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals.
“Our ambassador has been following up with the projects. We have much to do together in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals.
“We have some companies telling us that we should create a way for them to come into Nigeria.”
Al-Khulaifi, whose portfolio includes mediating peace in Africa and the Middle East, added, “The message I have from His Highness, Amir of Qatar, is that he wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa.”
