TICAD 9: Tinubu praises Nigeria’s armed forces, Japanese PM pledges $5.5bn support for Africa

Tinubu at TICAD

By JAMIU JAMODU

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday in Yokohama, Japan, lauded the Nigerian armed forces for their successes in the war against insurgency and criminality while emphasising his administration’s commitment to addressing the root causes of insecurity through strengthening the government security apparatus and ongoing economic reforms.

President Tinubu made the remarks during his intervention at the plenary session on Peace and Stability at the 9th meeting of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9).

He reaffirmed that inclusivity, diversity, and the rule of law remain Nigeria’s greatest strengths.

He described the current momentum in the Nigerian Armed Forces as a springboard for national development and stability.

He spoke after the opening ceremony, during which the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasised the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for Africa’s development. The Prime Minister outlined Japan’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration.

Prime Minister Ishiba announced a collaborative economic framework between Japan and the African Development Bank that will see a maximum of $5.5 billion disbursed to Africa, utilising Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) private sector investment finance as a catalyst.

President Tinubu emphasised the ongoing investments in infrastructure, institutional reforms, and collaboration with civil society and international partners to improve the living standards of all Nigerians.

“Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes,” the President said.