The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has welcomed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is in Nigeria for a three-day state visit.
President Steinmeier arrived at the Forecourt of the Presidential Villa at 11:06 a.m. on Wednesday, where he was received by President Tinubu and members of the Executive Council.
Upon his arrival, the German leader was greeted with the playing of the German national anthem, “Deutschland über alles,” followed by the Nigerian national anthem performed by the Brigade of Guards. The guards also conducted a formal inspection of the visiting president.
In addition, Steinmeier was honored with a 21-gun salute by the Brigade of Guards.
A statement from the German Embassy, issued on Monday, revealed that during his visit to Nigeria, President Steinmeier will hold talks with President Tinubu as well as with Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.
The German President will later travel to Lagos, where he is scheduled to meet with business leaders, visit a start-up hub, and engage with members of Nigeria’s cultural and civil society sectors.
Steinmeier will also meet Dr. Nike Okundaye, popularly known as Mama Nike of the Nike Art Gallery, and Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Following the visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Nigeria in October 2023 and President Tinubu’s visit to Germany in November 2023, President Steinmeier’s trip marks the third exchange between the two nations at the head-of-state level since President Tinubu’s inauguration.
According to the German Embassy, President Steinmeier’s visit highlights the strong relationship between Nigeria and Germany, underscoring Germany’s appreciation of Nigeria’s role on the global stage.