President Tinubu Hosts Queen Mary of Denmark, Calls for Stronger Ties in Agriculture, Education, and Development

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday received Queen Mary Elizabeth of Denmark at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marking her first official visit to Nigeria in her capacity as Patron of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Welcomed alongside Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Queen Mary’s visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exploring opportunities in sustainable development, education, and economic cooperation.

During the meeting, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of expanding Nigeria’s dairy and livestock sector, describing it as a critical area for job creation, rural development, and food security. He expressed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with Denmark in areas such as knowledge transfer, veterinary health, and modern agribusiness practices.

“The growing population of Nigeria presents both challenges and opportunities,” Tinubu said. “With the right investment in livestock and education, we can transform farmer-herder conflicts into structured economic opportunities and empower communities.”

The President noted that population management remains central to his Renewed Hope Agenda and foreign policy direction. With Nigeria projected to hit a population of 400 million by 2050, he stressed the need for strategic investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, and employment.

President Tinubu also applauded the contributions of Danish companies like A.P. Moller–Maersk and Grundfos to Nigeria’s economic and infrastructural development, and commended Denmark’s continued humanitarian support to displaced persons in conflict-affected regions.

On social development, he welcomed the growing collaboration between Queen Mary and Nigeria’s First Lady, especially on initiatives like school feeding programmes and efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children. Senator Oluremi Tinubu also highlighted the ongoing transformation of traditional Islamic schools to incorporate formal education standards.

In her remarks, Queen Mary expressed her appreciation for the warm reception and conveyed her sympathy over the crisis in Nigeria’s northeast. She reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria through investments in the green economy, women’s economic empowerment, child health, and cultural exchange.

The Queen also commended the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative and revealed plans to visit the A.P. Moller–Maersk terminal in Lagos during her trip.

The visit further deepens Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with Denmark, anchored on shared goals of sustainable development, humanitarian support, and inclusive growth.