NDC Nigeria Course 33 Participants Visit Doha, Qatar, Engage Strategic Institutions in High-Level Talks
As part of the ongoing Geostrategic World Study Tour, participants of Course 33 of the National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria, led by the Commandant, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, undertook a strategic visit to Doha, Qatar. The visit, which featured engagements with the Nigerian Embassy and several key Qatari institutions, is a critical component of the NDC’s mission to expose participants to global best practices in governance, economic transformation, and international diplomacy.
The delegation began their engagements at the Nigerian Embassy in Doha, where they were warmly received by officials led by the Chargé d’Affaires, Mrs. Bilqis Rufai Nura. In her welcome remarks, Mrs. Nura highlighted the strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and Qatar, referencing Qatar’s readiness to deepen cooperation across various sectors. She noted the significance of recent high-level exchanges, including the state visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Qatar in 2024, and the subsequent dispatch of a Special Envoy to Nigeria by His Highness, the Amir of Qatar which culminated in the signing of seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at enhancing bilateral collaboration.
Mrs. Nura also emphasised Qatar’s dedication to peace-building and identified key sectors of mutual interest such as agriculture, education, sports, healthcare, and private sector development. She called for deeper partnerships that align with Nigeria’s national development agenda.
Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, in his remarks, reiterated the objectives of the Geostrategic World Study Tour, which include broadening participants’ understanding of international strategic trends, foreign policy frameworks, and sustainable development models. He underscored the importance of learning from Qatar’s experience in economic diversification, in alignment with the participant’s study theme: “Economic Diversity and National Development in Qatar: Lessons for Nigeria.”
Beyond diplomatic engagements, the delegation met with leadership of KON Group, a prominent Qatari industrial and investment conglomerate. Received by Chairman Mr. Mohamed Massani and the Co-Founder, Hessa Al Suwaidi, the team engaged in discussions focused on private sector innovation, industrial growth, and opportunities for strategic investment, with relevance to Nigeria’s development aspirations.
The visit also included a comprehensive tour of DOC Medical Centre in Doha, where participants held robust sessions with the facility’s leadership on healthcare infrastructure development, public-private partnerships, and operational best practices in the medical sector.
Rear Admiral Olotu concluded by emphasising that these engagements will equip Course 33 participants with valuable insights into Qatar’s development strategy and foster informed contributions to Nigeria’s ongoing discourse on economic transformation, national security, and global cooperation.
