Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially welcomed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who arrived in Nigeria for a three-day state visit.
Steinmeier was received at the Forecourt of the Presidential Villa at 11:06 a.m. on Wednesday, where he was greeted by President Tinubu and members of the Executive Council.
The visit began with a formal reception, including the playing of the German national anthem, “Deutschland über alles,” followed by Nigeria’s anthem performed by the Brigade of Guards.
The guards also conducted a formal inspection of the visiting president, who was honored with a 21-gun salute.
During his visit, President Steinmeier is set to hold talks with President Tinubu and Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.
The German President will also travel to Lagos, where he plans to meet business leaders, visit a start-up hub, and engage with members of Nigeria’s cultural and civil society sectors.
Steinmeier’s itinerary includes meetings with Dr. Nike Okundaye, known as Mama Nike of the Nike Art Gallery, and Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.
This visit follows the earlier exchanges between the two countries, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Nigeria in October 2023 and President Tinubu’s visit to Germany in November 2023.
The German Embassy highlighted that the visit underscores the strong ties between Nigeria and Germany and emphasizes Germany’s recognition of Nigeria’s significant role on the global stage.
