Biden praises Tinubu's leadership after first meeting in India

Biden also praised Tinubu for the strides made by his administration to reform the Nigerian economy.

The U.S. president said this during the inaugural meeting between himself and Tinubu on the sidelines of the G20 in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

The Nigerian president, who joined other world leaders in the South Asian country for the 18th summit of the G20, also held a series of sideline events, particularly with the Indian private sector, who pledged over $14bn investment in Nigeria.

During the brief chat, the two leaders discussed plans to reinforce the enduring commitment to the U.S.-Nigeria relationship and the longstanding friendship between the two countries and peoples.

This was contained in a terse statement posted on the U.S. government's official website on Sunday.

"President Joe Biden met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu today on the sidelines of the G20 in New Delhi, India." the statement read in part.

"President Biden welcomed the Tinubu Administration’s steps to reform Nigeria’s economy and thanked President Tinubu for his strong leadership as the chair of the Economic Community of West African States to defend and preserve democracy and the rule of law in Niger and the broader region.

"Nigeria’s invitation to the G20 Summit is a recognition of Nigeria’s important global role as Africa’s largest democracy and economy." it concluded.

For his part, the Nigerian President used the opportunity to reaffirm the strong relations between the two countries while further expressing his "desire for more robust engagements in the near future to discuss economic cooperation, democracy and regional stability, multilateral reforms, and other key issues," read a statement by the Federal Government.

Biden had earlier sent an invitation for a meeting with his Nigerian counterpart at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later in the month.

The U.S. President's invitation was conveyed through a U.S. Presidential Envoy and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Molly Phee, during a meeting with Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, in late August.