During the course of his three-day visit to Nigeria (10th -12th December 2024), German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his delegation got deeper insights into the country’s cultural and economic landscapes in Lagos. Following political meetings in Abuja, the visit to the commercial, media and cultural hub of Lagos presented the opportunity to interact with vibrant start-ups and further foster German-Nigerian business, as well as bilateral cultural exchange.

On arrival in Lagos, President Steinmeier and the German delegation (parliament, government, private business, media and culture representatives) were heartily welcomed by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, and other representatives of the Lagos State Government. This was followed by a cultural evening and networking reception at the Nike Art Gallery in Lekki, together with guests from various sectors like art & culture, education, science, civil society and business. One of the highlights of the evening was a presentation by Nigerian sound and installation artist Emeka Ogboh, who currently lives and works in Berlin.

The second day in Lagos began with a boat tour of the Lagos lagoon to get a glimpse of metropolitan Lagos. Shortly afterwards, the German President and his delegation interacted with a selected group of young start-up entrepreneurs at the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Innovation Centre in Ikoyi. This was an avenue to understand the role which start-ups, small and medium scale enterprises play in solving strategic problems and creating job opportunities in Nigeria. These startups cut across different sectors from solar energy and recycling to fintech, digital health care and 3D engineering. The event also served as a platform to boost German-Nigerian collaboration.

More discussions on economic partnership between Nigerian and German businesses took place at a meeting organized by the German Desk at Access Bank. The meeting was highlighted by discussions on bilateral collaboration in areas such as financing, renewable energy and technological expertise exchange. As Germany's second-largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria and Germany continue to seek to improve economic relations between each other. This was clearly seen in the discussion and networking between the Nigerian and German businesses present.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier concluded his visit to Lagos with a meeting with Prof. Wole Soyinka, renowned Nigerian author, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and constant voice for freedom, justice and humanity.