TOKYO, JAPAN – Nigeria’s presence at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) has sparked public controversy after images of its unattended exhibition booth circulated online. The incident has drawn criticism from citizens and opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who linked the issue to wider governance failures.
Idris Bello, a Nigerian social entrepreneur, first raised the alarm on social media, posting that Nigeria’s booth was the only one left unmanned at the conference. “I hate to show negative things about Nigeria but it is sad that Nigeria is the only unmanned booth at TICAD9 in Japan,” he wrote, adding that he had taken it upon himself to engage visitors. His post was followed by a sharp critique from Atiku Abubakar, who likened the empty booth to the pace of governance under the current administration.
In response, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a clarification, stating that the booth had not yet been officially opened and would become fully operational on the second day of the conference. O’tega Ogra, Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Digital Communications, also weighed in, explaining that the space was not a traditional national pavilion but a flexible area for meetings. He emphasized that the Nigerian delegation was focused on “substance” over “spectacle,” pointing to ongoing high-level negotiations and investment discussions with various partners.
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