As the Patron of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Queen Mary Elizabeth of Denmark made her first formal visit to Nigeria on Tuesday when she was hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Queen Mary was greeted by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, and her visit was centered on enhancing bilateral ties and investigating prospects in economic cooperation, education, and sustainable development.
Nigeria’s dairy and livestock industries need to grow, President Tinubu stressed at the conference, calling them a vital sector for food security, rural development, and job creation. In fields like information transfer, veterinary care, and contemporary agriculture methods, he stated Nigeria’s willingness to work with Denmark.
Tinubu stated, “Nigeria’s expanding population offers both opportunities and challenges.” “We can empower communities and turn farmer-herder conflicts into organized economic opportunities with the correct investment in livestock and education.”
The President stated that population control continues to be a key component of his foreign policy direction and Renewed Hope Agenda. Given that 400 million people are expected to live in Nigeria by 2050, he emphasized the importance of making smart investments in jobs, healthcare, education, and agriculture.
A.P. Moller–Maersk and Grundfos are two Danish enterprises that have contributed to the economic and infrastructure development of Nigeria. President Tinubu also praised Denmark’s ongoing humanitarian assistance to displaced people in areas afflicted by war.
He praised Queen Mary and Nigeria’s First Lady’s increasing cooperation on social development, particularly on projects like school feeding programs and attempts to lower the number of children who are not in school. The continuous conversion of traditional Islamic institutions to adopt formal education norms was another point of emphasis for Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
During her speech, Queen Mary extended her compassion for the situation in northeastern Nigeria and thanked everyone for the warm reception. She restated Denmark’s determination to improve relations with Nigeria by funding cultural exchange, the green economy, women’s economic empowerment, and child health.
Along with praising the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, the Queen disclosed that she would be visiting the A.P. Moller–Maersk terminal in Lagos while there.
Nigeria and Denmark have a long-standing alliance based on humanitarian assistance, inclusive growth, and sustainable development, which is further strengthened by this visit.
