Nigeria, Chad Deepen Bilateral Ties as Tinubu Invited to Africa Water Summit
Oru Leonard
Nigeria and Chad have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation following the delivery of a special invitation from Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to attend the forthcoming Africa Water Summit.
The invitation was conveyed by Chad’s Special Envoy and Minister of Finance, Budget, Economy, Planning and International Cooperation, Tahir Hammid Nguilin, during a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the summit will officially launch the Water Forward Initiative in Africa, a programme being implemented in partnership with the World Bank and other multilateral development partners to advance water security across the continent.
Nguilin said the initiative seeks to make water security a strategic continental priority by mobilising sustainable financing for water resources, irrigation, sanitation, agriculture and livestock development. He noted that participating countries would sign country-specific partnership agreements with development partners, while African leaders are expected to adopt a declaration placing water security at the centre of Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
He stressed that Nigeria’s participation would be crucial to the success of the initiative, describing President Tinubu’s attendance as significant to advancing continental efforts to tackle Africa’s water challenges and promote inclusive socio-economic development.
Receiving the invitation on behalf of President Tinubu, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu thanked President Déby Itno for the gesture and conveyed Nigeria’s goodwill to the Government and people of Chad.
The minister described the proposed summit as timely, given the growing importance of water security to sustainable development, food production, climate resilience, environmental protection and regional stability.
She recalled recent engagements between Nigeria and Chad on issues affecting the Lake Chad Basin, noting that both countries have continued to collaborate through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to address environmental degradation, insecurity and the socio-economic impact of the shrinking lake on surrounding communities.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the restoration and sustainable management of Lake Chad, describing it as a strategic priority capable of boosting agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, livestock production, commerce, navigation and regional integration while contributing to poverty reduction and lasting peace.
She also emphasised that investment in water infrastructure would help address the root causes of insecurity by creating economic opportunities and improving livelihoods across the Lake Chad Basin.
The minister welcomed Chad’s call for stronger continental cooperation on water governance and assured the delegation that the invitation would be transmitted to President Tinubu through the appropriate channels for consideration.
Both countries reaffirmed their longstanding cordial relations and pledged to deepen cooperation in water resources management, agriculture, infrastructure development, environmental sustainability, regional security, trade and economic integration.
