(L-R): President Tinubu, Gov. Mutfwang
By Moses Pam
President Bola Tinubu has included Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau in Nigeria’s official delegation to the 2025 G20 World Leaders’ Summit, which is taking place from Nov. 22 to 23, 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The trip, which was earlier slated for Wednesday, has been delayed by the president ostensibly to address some security concerns following the terrorist attack on a church in Eruku village of Kwara and another incident in Kebbi.
Sources say that Gov Mutfwang has been a long term target of the president, who wants him to defect from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which holds sway at the national level.
An insider said that, in spite of the opposition to his defection by some elements within the APC in Plateau, the governor may eventually decamp on his return from the trip, as it is only some finishing touches that are left before a formal announcement is made to that effect.
Mutfwang had defeated Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the current National Chairman of the APC, who was then the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial race in the state.
Tinubu’s political spin doctors therefore believe that bringing him to APC would be a political masterstroke with a multiplier effect that would include winning back Plateau, which was ruled for eight years by APC from 2015 to 2023, for the President and his party.
His inclusion in Tinubu’s high-level delegation also highlights his rising national stature and the strategic role that Plateau continues to play in Nigeria’s development trajectory.
It further places him at the centre of critical discussions that will shape global development policy, economic restructuring, climate action, and inclusive growth in the years ahead.
Mutfwang’s engagements at the Summit will further reinforce ongoing efforts to position Plateau State as a competitive hub for investment, innovation, and sustainable growth.
The G20 platform offers a timely opportunity to deepen Plateau’s partnerships and attract long-term capital to the state in various sectors ranging from mining and agriculture to renewable energy, tourism, and digital innovation.
Mutfwang’s contribution to Nigeria’s voice at the G20, Plateau State is poised to gain, and stands to benefit the state significantly, from new opportunities in investment, cooperation, and sustainable development, reinforcing its steady and strategic rise on both the national and global stage.
The Plateau Governor will participate in key sessions alongside other members of the entourage, as directed by the President, to advance Nigeria’s core priorities across multifaceted areas.
Other governors in Tinubu’s high-powered delegation include Govs Uba Sani (Kaduna); Abdullahi Sule (Nassarawa); Umaru Bago (Niger); Peter Mbah (Enugu); Dauda Lawal (Zamfara); Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe); and Dikko Radda (Katsina).
Their participation reflects the Federal Government’s deliberate strategy to strengthen subnational involvement in global economic diplomacy and ensure that international commitments translate into concrete benefits at state level.
This year’s Summit, with the theme: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” marks a historic milestone: the first G20 Presidency on African soil and the first time the Leaders’ Summit is being hosted on the continent.
The G20 membership includes the Presidents or Heads of Government of the United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey, along with two powerful regional blocs, the European Union and the African Union.
The Summit aims to tackle the world’s most pressing economic, environmental, and social challenges. It brings together global leaders, ministers, development institutions, multilateral banks, and key international partners at a defining moment for global governance and development cooperation.
One of these areas is global economic reforms and development financing to strengthen advocacy for a fairer global financial system, expanded development financing, debt sustainability, and improved support for developing economies navigating complex global headwinds.
Another area is sustainable and value-driven mining aimed at championing responsible mining, deeper value-addition, and global investment into Nigeria’s mineral sector.
Plateau’s historic leadership in Nigeria’s mining industry, being the first state where formal mining began, gives it a comparative advantage and unique voice in shaping conversations around innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable mineral value chains.
Climate governance and energy transition is another area of focus so as to advance Nigeria’s position on climate-resilient development, climate finance, adaptation, and equitable support for countries transitioning to cleaner, more sustainable energy systems.
Global trade, job creation, and inclusive prosperity is also to be prioritised to promote policies that expand market access, support SMEs, stimulate cross-border trade, and drive job creation, especially for Africa’s large youth population.
Also to be discussed at the sessions is digital transformation and infrastructure development toward pursuing partnerships for digital inclusion, technology cooperation, and large-scale infrastructure financing covering transport, renewable energy, water systems, and the digital economy.
Food security and agricultural resilience will also feature during the sessions to push for deeper international cooperation to combat global food insecurity, strengthen agricultural systems, and support sustainable food production, all of which are key and align closely with Plateau’s development priorities.
Tinubu had been expected to depart Abuja on Wednesday for the 20th G20 Summit in South Africa before proceeding to Angola for the 7th AU-EU Summit.
Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has postponed his scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa and Luanda, Angola, as he awaits further security briefings on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.”
