By Brian Okoth
Several presidents from Africa attended the swearing-in of Nigeria’s new Head of State Bola Tinubu in the capital Abuja on Monday.
South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Abdelmadjid Tebboune (Algeria), Samia Suluhu (Tanzania), Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone), Denis Sassou Nguesso (Republic of Congo), Umaro Sissoco Embalo (Guinea-Bissau), Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and Mohamed Bazoum of Niger attended the inauguration held at the Eagle Square.
Others who arrived on Sunday for the Monday ceremony are Chad’s transitional President Mahamat Deby and Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana.
Kenyan President William Ruto was represented by Chief Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
Angolan President Joao Lourenco sent Foreign Affairs minister, Tete Antonio, to represent him at Tinubu’s oath-taking.
United States President Joe Biden delegated representation to Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia Fudge.
Canada was represented by Housing minister Hussein Ahmed.
The high-profile delegation to the event signals Nigeria’s economic importance on the continent and beyond.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted earlier 2023 that Nigeria’s GDP will hit $574 billion by the end of the year.
Deloitte says Nigeria’s 2022 gross domestic product stood at $509.9 billion to place the country ahead of second-placed South Africa ($322 billion).
Nigeria’s economy is lower middle-income with significant interests in manufacturing, financial, service, communications, technology, and entertainment sectors.
In his inauguration address, President Tinubu said he will leverage on regional and international ties that the country enjoys to benefit its people.
“My primary foreign policy objective must be the peace and stability of the West African sub-region and the African continent,” he said.
Tinubu becomes Nigeria’s 16th president, taking over from Muhammadu Buhari whose second and final term as Head of State ended on May 29.
