JUST IN: Tinubu returns to Nigeria after three-day visit to Equatorial Guinea

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Abuja after a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea.

The Gulfstream jet carrying the president touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 6.30 pm on Friday

The trip was his 22nd foreign trip since taking office about 15 months ago.

Tinubu was received by top government officials including his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among others.

While in the Central African country, Tinubu and his Equatorial Guinean counterpart, Teodoro Mbasogo, signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea Pipeline Project, further affirming the partnership for mutual development.

The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Tinubu said the new agreement would open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment, saying the two leaders had discussed issues related to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement.

“Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflict and what we can do to promote peace. We talked about the promotion of peace and stability in our countries and growth and prosperity on our continent,” the President said.

Tinubu also revealed that the discussion with President Mbasogo also covered security challenges, the African Continental Free Trade Area and food security.

At a dinner hosted to honour him the night before, Tinubu implored African leaders to make more strategic and deliberate efforts to address the exodus of skills and talent from Africa.

These efforts, he said, include stemming tribalism, rewarding performance and reforming archaic judicial systems.

The President queried, “Why are we complaining about healthcare problems if our doctors cannot have a home in our continent? If our nurses are faced with destitution, and if our judicial system is archaic?”

He argued, “Tribalism has no place in our nation or region. We have to strengthen the continent. Cultivate and maintain peace together and help one another.

“We have to develop our resources for our progress. Find solutions among ourselves focus incisively on research and development, and reward those research and development programmes. We must bring out the results ourselves. We must not outsource them or sell them out.

“To the international organizations, we are partners. We will continue to be partners, but we must implement more than half of the results of the research established here. We have many youths to take care of. Millions yearning for progress.”

Equatorial Guinea is the seventh African state Tinubu has visited. So far, he has been to Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.