On Tuesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu greeted Queen Mary Elizabeth of Denmark at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marking her first official visit to Nigeria as Patron of the United Nations Population Fund.
Queen Mary’s visit, which was welcomed by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, aimed to deepen bilateral relations and explore potential in sustainable development, education, and economic collaboration.
During the discussion, President Tinubu underlined the need of strengthening Nigeria’s dairy and livestock sectors, citing them as important to job creation, rural development, and food security. He underlined Nigeria’s willingness to work with Denmark on issues such as knowledge transfer, veterinary health, and contemporary agriculture techniques.
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“The growing population of Nigeria presents both challenges and opportunities,” he stated. “With the right investment in livestock and education, we can transform farmer-herder conflicts into structured economic opportunities and empower communities.”
The President stated that population management remained key to his Renewed Hope Agenda and foreign policy objectives. With Nigeria’s population expected to reach 400 million by 2050, he emphasized the need for smart investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, and jobs.
President Tinubu also praised Danish corporations such as A.P. Moller-Maersk and Grundfos for their contributions to Nigeria’s economic and infrastructure growth, as well as Denmark’s ongoing humanitarian assistance to displaced persons in crisis zones.
On social development, he applauded Queen Mary’s growing partnership with Nigeria’s First Lady, particularly on projects such as school feeding programs and attempts to reduce the number of out-of-school children. Senator Oluremi Tinubu also emphasized the continuous transition of traditional Islamic schools to meet formal educational norms.
Queen Mary expressed her gratitude for the warm reception and her condolences for the tragedy in Nigeria’s northeast. She underlined Denmark’s commitment to expanding ties with Nigeria, including investments in the green economy, women’s economic empowerment, child health, and cultural exchange.
The Queen also praised the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative and announced intentions to visit the A.P. Moller-Maersk terminal in Lagos during her trip.
The visit strengthens Nigeria’s long-standing alliance with Denmark, which is based on common goals of sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, and inclusive growth.
