President Bola Tinubu has called on African leaders to take strategic and deliberate actions to curb the ongoing exodus of skilled professionals from the continent.
Speaking at a dinner held in his honour at the People’s Palace in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday night, Tinubu emphasized the need for Africa to invest in research and development, ensuring that such efforts are properly rewarded and retained within the continent.
“Why are we complaining about healthcare problems if our doctors cannot have a home in our continent? If our nurses are faced with destitution, and if our judicial system is archaic?” Tinubu questioned.
He argued that Africa’s development hinges on looking inward for solutions rather than relying on external assistance.
The President, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, stressed the importance of unity and collaboration among African nations.
“Tribalism has no place in our nation or region. We have to strengthen the continent. Cultivate and maintain peace together and help one another,” he urged.
Tinubu also highlighted the need for Africa to harness its resources for progress, focusing on self-reliant research and development initiatives.
“We must bring out the results ourselves. We must not outsource them or sell them out,” he stated.
Expressing his gratitude to President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for the invitation to visit Malabo, Tinubu said, “It is a joy coming down here from Abuja, and for me, it is a homecoming. We are one single family on the continent. We are like twins held together at the hips. We have nowhere to go but to cling to each other.”
Tinubu reiterated the importance of peace, stability, and democracy as prerequisites for development in Africa.’
“Without peace, we cannot have development. Our problem is not that we do not understand what to do. We identify them, and we understand what to do. Our problem is how and when we should do them. I say the time is now,” he declared.
President Mbasogo, in his remarks, expressed deep respect and affection for Tinubu, welcoming him and his delegation to Equatorial Guinea.
He called for increased collaboration between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, emphasizing the need for solidarity in addressing shared challenges such as piracy, insecurity, climate change, food shortages, and terrorism.
Mbasogo also highlighted the significance of Nigeria in Equatorial Guinea’s foreign policy, stating, “Nigeria has always held a special place in our foreign policy.”
He advocated for stronger bilateral relations, building on existing agreements in education, mining, defence, security, and agriculture.
Meanwhile, Nigeria faces the potential loss of $20 billion in cocoa exports within the next three years if it fails to comply with sustainability reporting standards, according to Dr Rabiu Olowo, Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria.
Olowo emphasized the importance of adhering to these standards during a visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, led by Chairman Hon. Ahmed Munir, to the FRC head office in Abuja.
Olowo stressed that Nigeria must meet processing and reporting expectations to maintain its competitiveness in the global cocoa market.
