Nigeria’s Booth Was Manned At TICAD – Ogra Dismisses False Claims

Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, has dismissed reports suggesting that Nigeria left its booth at the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) unmanned.

He said the narrative was misleading and failed to reflect how the event is structured.

In a statement, Ogra explained that the space in question was not a conventional national pavilion but part of a designated spillover area, typically provided for delegates without access to the main auditorium to follow proceedings or engage informally. Such spaces, he noted, are often used as workstations, quiet zones, hubs for side meetings, or in some cases, converted into national stands at the discretion of delegations.

He stressed that these areas are not required to be continuously manned or styled as permanent showcases. According to him, any Nigerian delegate could make use of the space at any point to work, support official activities, or display materials. “Several other countries also had spaces that were either quiet or lightly used today. It is neither unusual nor a sign of disengagement,” Ogra said.

Taking aim at those who criticised Nigeria’s presence, Ogra insisted that the country was in Japan for substance, not optics. “We do not need to mimic others to prove our relevance. Visibility is not the only metric. Value is,” he said, adding that while some chose to chase appearances, Nigerian officials were working deliberately and strategically to deliver impact.

He cited ongoing efforts by key ministers and institutions, pointing out that Muhammad Ali Pate, minister of health, was finalising a landmark agreement with Japanese partners; Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, was pursuing a major energy partnership; and the Bank of Industry alongside the Bank of Agriculture were in deep investment talks. He also said Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, was spearheading ministerial-level engagements and aligning national plans on behalf of the country, while President Tinubu was meeting with Japanese investors, the Nigerian diaspora business community, development partners, and fellow heads of government on the sidelines.

“The work is being done. Quietly. Strategically. With impact,” Ogra stressed.

He argued that the use of isolated visuals to suggest national failure was unfair, warning that such commentary, even when unintended, could be damaging by undermining progress and reinforcing cycles of misrepresentation. “Visibility should not be confused for value, or applause mistaken for achievement,” he said.

Clarifying further, Ogra said Nigeria’s booth was not unmanned in the sense being implied, nor was the country under any obligation to adopt the performative routines of others. He emphasised that in diplomacy, “presence is not always performance and substance will always outweigh spectacle.”

He added that the assigned space would be more actively used on Day 2 and Day 3 of TICAD9, which are thematically focused on economy and society, and would function as an open national stand accessible to all delegates for engagement.

The 9th TICAD meeting, hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, has seen Japan pledge $5.5 billion in support for Africa, with commitments expected to focus on economic development, energy, and social partnerships.

Ogra urged Nigerians to focus on outcomes rather than optics, saying what might appear as silence was, in most cases, deliberate engagement carried out in the best interest of the country.