President Bola Tinubu was unable to participate in a live economic session during the ongoing summit of world leaders in Paris. Instead, he asked the Nigerian ambassador to represent him, although the reasons for his absence on stage were not immediately clear. Prior to the summit, his office had announced his attendance and participation in a debate concerning Africa’s economic prospects.
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The global financing pact summit, taking place at Palais Brongniart in Paris over two days, aims to find effective solutions to reduce poverty and address the adverse impacts of climate change on the global financial system.
Scheduled to join other participants on stage at 6:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, Tinubu’s aides had confirmed his preparedness for the event, which marked his first since assuming the presidency on May 29. The Nigerian ambassador, Adamu Ahmed, represented him alongside other notable figures, including David Craig, co-chair of the task force on nature-related financial disclosures (TNFD); Mark Carney of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ); Mary Schapiro of global public policy at Bloomberg; Sabine Mauderer of the Network for Greening the Financial System; and United Nations special envoy Catherine Mckenna.
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In a speech prepared hastily, Ambassador Ahmed expressed the belief that addressing social issues should be elevated alongside environmental concerns. He commended President Macron for emphasizing the issue of poverty at the summit, emphasizing that the focus should encompass climate, people, and diversity.
Ambassador Ahmed highlighted the economic difficulties faced by African countries in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that public resources alone would no longer suffice to tackle the challenges. He emphasized the need to attract private capital and compete with other countries worldwide. Ahmed also welcomed President Macron’s initiative to develop a Net-Zero Data Public Utility (NZDPU) as a repository that would greatly benefit African nations.
He further conveyed the message that African countries are ready to actively engage with the international community and are transitioning from mere commitments to concrete plans. Ahmed cited Nigeria’s enactment of the Climate Change Act in 2021, establishing the Climate Change Council with President Tinubu at the helm, along with the establishment of a climate change fund and a National Action Plan. Nigeria has set a net-zero target of 2060, recognizing the substantial challenges it faces, and has sought regional partnerships with other African countries.
This trip marked President Tinubu’s first international visit since assuming the Nigerian presidency on May 29. The reasons for his non-participation in this crucial aspect of the summit, despite concerns about the impact of removing subsidies on petroleum products, which were previously used to alleviate economic hardships, remain unclear. Although Tinubu has reportedly sought medical treatment in Paris in the past, his aides denied any plans for a medical visit during this trip.
Several African leaders, including South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, participated on stage during the summit on Thursday evening.
Tinubu’s absence from today’s panel, though unusual for such an event, mirrors his strategy during Nigeria’s presidential campaign. As the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, he did not attend several televised debates held in Lagos and Abuja before the elections on February 25, 2023.
During a visit to London in December 2022, where he was invited to speak at the renowned think-tank Chatham House, Tinubu struggled to respond adequately to complex questions. He frequently passed the microphone to his surrogates, a controversial conduct that was deemed unusual and unauthorized by Chatham House due to a lack of prior discussion.
Tinubu cited media bias as the reason for rejecting debates with other candidates in Nigeria, claiming unfair treatment towards his campaign. However, he did not explain why he relied on allies to answer critical questions on his behalf during his Chatham House appearance. The pattern of Tinubu’s non-participation in today’s panel at the summit aligns with his previous approach, reflecting his campaign strategy and public engagements.
