President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday welcomed Queen Mary Elizabeth of Denmark to the State House in Abuja, calling for strengthened bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Denmark in areas such as education, livestock development, veterinary health, and economic investment.
The visit, Queen Mary’s first to Nigeria, was conducted under her role as Patron of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and was co-hosted by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
In a statement by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s potential to turn current challenges, such as farmer-herder conflicts, into economic opportunities through education and structured investment.
“We can convert that friction into structured economic opportunity and provide education pathways, even for farmers and herders. We can stabilise communities, grow our food systems, and lift millions out of poverty,” Tinubu said.
He also emphasized the importance of preparing for Nigeria’s projected population growth to 400 million by 2050, noting that managing demographic expansion would require targeted investment in agriculture, education, healthcare, and job creation.
The President lauded Danish companies such as A.P. Moller–Maersk and Grundfos for their contributions to Nigeria’s agricultural and maritime infrastructure and welcomed more foreign investments aligned with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu also appreciated Denmark’s humanitarian support to internally displaced persons in conflict zones and looked forward to deeper collaboration as Denmark prepares to chair the EU Council and serve on the UN Security Council (2025–2026).
On the social development front, President Tinubu referenced joint initiatives with Denmark, including school feeding programs and efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu called for educational reform that includes the integration of traditional Islamic schools into Nigeria’s formal education system.
“We must find ways to formally recognise the knowledge traditional Islamic schools offer and bring them into our wider educational structure,” she stated.
Queen Mary, in her remarks, expressed gratitude for the warm reception and reaffirmed Denmark’s solidarity with Nigeria, particularly in addressing the humanitarian crisis in the Northeast.
“I am here to strengthen relations and explore investment opportunities in the green economy, trade and business development for women, child health, and cultural and educational exchanges,” she said.
As part of her itinerary, Queen Mary is expected to visit the A.P. Moller–Maersk terminal in Lagos.
