Diplomacy, Detours, and Dotted Lines: Why St. Lucia Matters in Tinubu’s Foreign Policy
In early June 2025, President Bola Tinubu made headlines, not for a visit to a traditional global economic hub, but for a state visit to Saint Lucia, a small Caribbean island nation. The visit, made en route to the BRICS Summit in Brazil, marked Tinubu’s 36th international trip since assuming office in May 2023. With St. Lucia contributing minimally to Nigeria’s trade profile, the visit raised eyebrows. Yet, it signals a strategic shift in Nigeria’s foreign policy, where cultural diplomacy, soft power, and sector-specific collaboration now sit alongside traditional trade and investment objectives.
While many of Tinubu’s foreign visits have focused on securing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the Saint Lucia stop reveals a broader agenda: engaging nations with valuable sectoral models.
During his address in Saint Lucia on June 3, Tinubu highlighted potential collaboration in tourism, education, and talent exchange. With tourism contributing around 65% of Saint Lucia’s GDP, the island represents a case study on how Nigeria might revitalise its own underperforming tourism sector. Despite its vast cultural and ecological assets, tourism in Nigeria remains largely untapped.
In 2024, Nigeria launched a Draft National Tourism Policy under the then-Minister Lola Ade-John. The policy aimed to align Nigeria’s tourism strategy with global standards and promote sustainability. It envisioned tourism as a key driver of job creation, foreign exchange, and rural development.
While this policy has not been fully implemented under the present Minister of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa, Nigeria’s tourism sector critically demonstrates clear economic opportunities, potentially contributing to Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy target by 2030, according to the Honorable Minister.
With young people making up 45% of the population, the tourism sector could offer significant employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Without policy implementation and investment, Nigeria risks leaving this potential untapped.
Tinubu’s Travel Diplomacy: A Mixed Record
Since assuming office, President Tinubu has visited six continents on 36 foreign trips, which the government frames as necessary for strengthening bilateral ties and attracting investment.
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