Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has invited Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to visit Singapore as both countries explore ways to deepen diplomatic relations and expand bilateral cooperation.

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, disclosed the development in a statement issued by Nigeria’s Mission House at the United Nations in New York.

According to Ibrahim, Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Burhan Gafoor, delivered the invitation letter from President Shanmugaratnam during a visit to the Nigerian Mission House.

The diplomatic engagement comes as Nigeria and Singapore seek to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including development, economic transformation and multilateral affairs.

Peter Obi’s $123m Loans: Anambra Govt Explains Monthly FAAC Deductions

Gafoor also congratulated Ibrahim on his emergence as chairman of two important United Nations committees: the Fifth Committee, which handles administrative and budgetary matters, and the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, commonly known as the Committee of 34.

 Singapore Deepens Engagement With Nigeria

Receiving the invitation, Ibrahim expressed appreciation to the Singaporean government and said President Tinubu would honour the invitation at a suitable time.

The Nigerian envoy said Singapore’s interest in strengthening engagement with Nigeria was partly connected to the economic reforms being implemented by the Tinubu administration.

He said the reforms and broader efforts at national transformation had attracted international attention and could create opportunities for Nigeria and Singapore to exchange experiences on development and multilateral cooperation.

Ibrahim drew a comparison between Tinubu’s economic reform programme and the transformation associated with Singapore’s first Prime Minister, the late Lee Kuan Yew.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making bold economic reforms like the first Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew,” Ibrahim said, while describing the relationship between Tinubu and Shanmugaratnam as valuable.

The Nigerian envoy also congratulated Singapore on the policies and institutional changes that helped transform the Asian country over several decades.

He said Nigeria was similarly pursuing reforms intended to modernise the economy, protect citizens’ interests and expand economic opportunities.

According to Ibrahim, the diplomatic outreach from Singapore is part of growing international engagement with Nigeria as the country implements its reform agenda.

The envoy disclosed that his office had recently hosted representatives from several countries, including the British Ambassador to the United Nations and the Ambassador of Guyana.

Gafoor’s visit followed those diplomatic engagements, highlighting continued interactions between Nigeria’s UN mission and representatives of other member states.

Beyond bilateral relations, Ibrahim also outlined his approach to his new responsibilities at the United Nations.

He pledged to lead the Fifth Committee and Committee of 34 with emphasis on fairness, accountability and efficiency.

The Fifth Committee is responsible for the UN’s administrative and budgetary matters, including issues involving the organisation’s financial resources.

The Committee of 34, meanwhile, deals with questions relating to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Ibrahim said every member state would be given an opportunity to participate in discussions under his leadership and pledged impartiality in the allocation of resources.

The Singaporean invitation comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s efforts to expand international partnerships and attract cooperation around economic transformation and development.

While no date has been announced for Tinubu’s proposed visit, Ibrahim indicated that the Nigerian president would take up the invitation at a suitable time.

The proposed visit could provide an opportunity for both countries to discuss economic policy, development experiences, diplomatic cooperation and their shared interests within the United Nations system.