The Presidency has debunked viral social media claims that Nigeria was poorly represented at the ongoing 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, Japan, after a video surfaced showing an empty booth marked “Nigeria.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the trending clip as misleading and “inspired by ignorance” of Nigeria’s mission at the high-profile summit.
According to Onanuga, Nigeria’s participation at TICAD 9, led by President Bola Tinubu, is centered on “high-level strategic engagements” to attract investment in critical sectors such as energy, industry, and agriculture — not on trade exhibitions.
“Our country is not at TICAD for showmanship but for substance. The empty booth tells no story of Nigeria’s active, high-level engagements, which are geared toward tangible results for our people,” Onanuga said.
The Presidency highlighted several key engagements scheduled during the summit. The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is set to host an investment forum on Thursday, August 21, while ministers and senior officials are pursuing sideline discussions with global corporations and institutions.
President Tinubu himself is expected to meet with top leaders of Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, UNDP, and the International Finance Corporation.
The Ministry of Power is also in advanced talks with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on multiple projects, including the Lagos–Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement to stabilize Nigeria’s grid, a partnership with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) to strengthen vocational training, and a $190 million Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-up initiative.
Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu will additionally hold meetings with Japanese Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as Toshiba and Hitachi, while the Bank of Industry, under Dr. Supo Olusi, is engaging in global fund syndication talks with JICA and other multilateral bodies.
Onanuga stressed that Nigeria’s presence at TICAD 9 is “laser-focused on achieving tangible outcomes,” rejecting claims that the empty booth represented a diplomatic failure.
“While we understand the urge by many social media users to seek clicks with incorrect posts, we must emphasize that Nigeria is fully engaged in the essential conversations and negotiations that matter most at TICAD,” he added.
The Presidency’s clarification comes amid heated online debates over Nigeria’s global image, but officials insist that the government’s strategy at TICAD 9 is designed to secure partnerships that will yield long-term development gains.
