- …praises Nigerian armed forces for successes achieved
- …as Japan PM pledges $5.5bn support for Africa
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that his administration will confront terrorism by addressing its root causes while sustaining the successes recorded by Nigeria’s armed forces on the battlefield.
Speaking on Wednesday at the plenary on Peace and Stability during the opening session of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, President Tinubu commended the military for their commitment and courage in defending the country against insurgency, banditry, and criminality.
He said the sacrifices of the armed forces had created the foundation for peace and stability, which his government is determined to consolidate with reforms, investments, and inclusive governance.
“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.
He emphasised that lasting victory against insecurity lies in combining military gains with strong social and economic reforms.
“We have learned that our brave armed forces can win many battles. But we can do justice to their heroism and sacrifice only when we, as governments, display the courage to be tough, not only on terror, but on the causes of terror,” he added.
President Tinubu reaffirmed that inclusivity, diversity, and the rule of law remain Nigeria’s greatest strengths, describing the current momentum in the armed forces as a springboard for national development and stability.
He said the government was deepening investments in infrastructure, institutional reforms, and collaboration with civil society and international partners to improve living standards across the country.
“We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task. But neither should we underestimate the successes we have had. In the past, competition for resources has weakened states and triggered conflict. Now, we see mediators directly linking outcomes to investment in Congo. It is working and underlines the need for fresh thinking in everything we do to deliver peace and stability,” he stated.
On the global stage, President Tinubu used the opportunity to renew Nigeria’s call for reforms at the United Nations Security Council, stressing the need for fairer African representation.
“It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand. Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto. Africa also deserves additional seats in the non–permanent seat category of the Security Council, as encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration,” he said.
President Tinubu also urged international cooperation in ensuring that technology becomes a tool for peace and trust rather than division and alienation.
He made a strong appeal for market-driven partnerships across nations, insisting that Africa must move beyond outdated appeals for aid and handouts.
“We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task,” President Tinubu reminded African leaders, while urging them to adopt fresh approaches that would build enduring peace and prosperity.
For Nigeria, he insisted, victory over terror will come not only through the might of the armed forces but through reforms that deny extremism fertile ground.
At the opening ceremony, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a new collaborative economic framework between Japan and the African Development Bank that will see a maximum of $5.5 billion mobilised for Africa through the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s private sector investment finance.
He highlighted Japan’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration, while also stressing that locally rooted solutions were essential for Africa’s development.
“We will nurture and expand the industrial ecosystem between Japan and Africa. African startups and Japanese companies will jointly develop industries, which will be an initiative of Japan and Africa co-creation for industry, and we will promote this initiative in terms of finance.
“We will strengthen the functions of the enhanced private sector assistance for Africa, a collaborative framework between Japan and the African Development Bank, which will be expanded to a maximum of $5.5 billion and utilising JICA private sector investment finance as a catalyst.
“We will mobilise $1.5 billion in public-private impact investment. We will also make full use of trade insurance to reduce business risk.
“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa”, he said.
Ishiba underscored the positives of Africa’s youthful population: “There is another potential in Africa; there is so much growing young population in Africa, but for the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment, and that, I believe, is very important.
“In Africa, there is a primary industry, agriculture, forestry, and industries, and then it jumped over to the tertiary sectors and the services industries.
“There is a jump in economic growth that Japan and other Asian countries have experienced and they have tried to move from the primary, the Agriculture, fisheries, forestry to the secondary, that is a necessary process because the power of the youth could be realised fully in the manufacturing industry to improve the productivity of Africa’s manufacturing sector”, Ishiba said.
He appealed to African countries to assist Japan as it grapples with the challenges of a declining population and shrinking agricultural land.
“In 75 years from now, the population of Japan will have been halved. In the local communities, the population continues to decline; this is one big challenge Japan is facing. All agricultural land is being reduced, another major challenge for Japan”, he said.
The Yokohama summit, which continues through the week, has gathered African heads of state, Japanese leaders, and development partners to advance cooperation on security, governance, and sustainable growth.
