Nigerians Decry Neglect at TICAD 9 Booth in Japan

Nigerians who attended the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama expressed anger after finding Nigeria’s exhibition stand deserted on the opening day.

The three-day forum, which runs from August 20 to 22, brings together African and Japanese leaders, businesses, and development partners to strengthen cooperation on trade and innovation. Despite the strategic importance of the summit, no official representatives were seen at Nigeria’s booth, leaving volunteers to take charge.

One of the participants, Ayodeji Idris, voiced his displeasure on X (formerly Twitter).

“I hate to show negative things about Nigeria, but, sadly, Nigeria is the only unmanned booth at TICAD9 in Japan. Upon all the folks who probably got estacode for coming to Japan,” Idris wrote.

He went further, noting that he assumed responsibility for the booth himself.

“So ashamed I have now designated myself as Honorary Consul and taken over the booth to engage visitors,” he added.

Another attendee, Dr. Ola Brown, confirmed stepping in to assist Idris in running the stand.

“Had an interesting time manning the Nigeria booth today with Idris,” she wrote, lamenting that “the booth was left unstaffed by the Nigerian public sector team, but we still had engaging conversations with academics, private business owners, and NGOs who asked great questions.”

Observers fear that Nigeria’s lack of official presence at the summit sends the wrong message to potential investors. David Brown, another Nigerian professional at the event, was also critical.

“We are on the ground to support our dear country. But this is so disappointing, more so that the Japanese are so eager to do business with us, but we prioritise vibes!! Anyway, we are on the ground in Japan.”

With discussions continuing, participants worry that opportunities to forge valuable partnerships are slipping away due to poor coordination from Nigeria’s official delegation.