President Bola Tinubu on Friday defended his administration’s economic reforms, stating that tough decisions were necessary to ensure 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 Qatar, Tinubu highlighted progress in streamlining the country’s tax system to attract foreign investors.
“We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Our reforms have been hard, but I made tough decisions so we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” Tinubu said, according to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
The President touted Nigeria as an ideal investment destination, urging Qatar to deepen its humanitarian efforts to combat poverty in the country. “You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria. You have done well in developing a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, but what about Nigeria?” he remarked.
Tinubu emphasized the potential for enhanced Nigeria-Qatar cooperation in areas such as food sovereignty and economic prosperity. He expressed readiness to build on the outcomes of his 2024 state visit to Qatar, committing to implement all bilateral agreements between the two nations.
To ensure swift 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 in fulfilling the agreements.
