Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has assured the international community that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is intensifying efforts to confront insecurity, particularly terrorism and kidnapping, across the country.

She gave the assurance while receiving the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Nigeria, Yousef Bin Hassan Al-Hail, and the embassy’s consul, Khalifa Al-Khalifa, during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Oluremi Tinubu described insecurity as a serious but surmountable challenge, stressing that the President is working closely with the armed forces and security agencies to restore peace and stability. She emphasised that the government is determined to ensure that criminal elements do not define Nigeria’s image or future.

The First Lady portrayed Nigeria as a vast, diverse nation whose people are largely peaceful, friendly and patriotic. She urged young Nigerians to travel within the country to better appreciate its beauty, cultures and opportunities, insisting that the negative narratives often amplified online do not reflect the reality of everyday life in most communities.

Beyond security, she highlighted tourism as an underutilised engine for growth and job creation. While acknowledging Nigeria’s mineral wealth in oil, gas and solid minerals, she argued that the country’s “greatest treasure” lies in its cultural heritage, cuisine, landscapes and creative youth population. Harnessing these assets, she said, could provide sustainable livelihoods and reduce the appeal of crime.

Oluremi Tinubu added that her role has enabled her to travel widely across Nigeria, deepening her conviction that the country can attain greatness if its human and natural resources are properly developed. She expressed optimism that Nigeria would take its “rightful place” among leading nations.

In his remarks, Ambassador Al-Hail called for stronger bilateral cooperation between Qatar and Nigeria, particularly in aviation and tourism. He said his initial fears about Nigeria, shaped by negative content on social media, were dispelled once he arrived and experienced the country firsthand.

The envoy praised Nigeria’s strategic importance as Africa’s most populous nation and a major oil producer, describing it as a key player on the continent. He urged Nigerians to resist cyberbullying and misinformation, warning that such behaviour damages the country’s reputation abroad.

Al-Hail commended Nigeria’s “wonderful people” and natural beauty, saying the country now feels like home to him. He proposed increasing the frequency of flights between Qatar and Nigeria’s major cities, Abuja and Lagos, to deepen economic and people-to-people ties.