Tinubu’s Delegation Debunks ‘Empty Booth’ Claims at TICAD9 in Japan

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Presidency has dismissed viral claims that Nigeria had an “empty booth” at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Japan.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga clarified on Wednesday that President Bola Tinubu’s delegation is in Yokohama for high-level talks, not for a trade exhibition.

He said the team is holding strategic discussions to secure partnerships in critical sectors such as power, industry, and agriculture.

Photos showing an empty stand tagged “Nigeria” had sparked criticism online, but Onanuga described them as misleading, insisting: “Nigeria is not participating as a trade exhibitor.”

While noting that the outrage may have been driven by patriotism, he argued that it also reflected “ignorance about Nigeria’s actual objectives at TICAD9.”

According to him, the country’s focus at the triennial summit is to strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships that will drive economic growth.

Onanuga also disclosed that the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) will on Thursday host a special investment forum at the event.