As part of efforts to enhance economic growth and job creation,
Nigeria has partnered with the Netherlands to set up a Dutch
agro-industrial park in the country.
The deal was sealed by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and
Investment, Olusegun Aganga, during a meeting with Netherlands Minister
of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen, on the
sidelines of the Nigeria-Netherlands Business and Investment Forum in
The Hague, Netherlands, a statement released by the Senior Special
Assistant on Corporate Communications to the Minister of Industry, Trade
and Investment, Yemi Kolapo, said.
The ministers has agreed to set up a technical team to ensure expediency in delivering the project.
Speaking on the win-win economic relationship with Netherland, Aganga
said, “The Netherlands has a well-developed food processing industry.
They are also the largest producers and exporters of food. This,
combined with the availability of raw materials and the large market in
Nigeria, will give rise to a successful partnership on the establishment
of an industrial zone on food processing in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the dutch Foreign Trade minister revealed that the country
was setting up a €700 million ($930 million) growth fund – to be
launched in January- to help its small and medium-scale enterprises to
invest in growth areas.
Netherland also consented to the Nigerian government’s proposal to
put SMEs in Africa’s second-largest economy on the list beneficiaries to
growth fund, so as to expand their businesses and invest in thriving
sectors.
Relatively, both countries have agreed to work together to tackle the
problems, which led to a decline in the volume of trade between them in
2012.
A major problem identified was the unfavourable visa regime,
particularly the absence of a Consular office for the Netherlands in
Nigeria which the Dutch government has promised to reinstate.
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