In a bid to enhance its bi-lateral trade relations with Nigeria, the Government of Finland has sent a high-level business delegation to the West African giant to explore ways of promoting trade between Nigeria and the Nordic nation. The delegation led by Finland’s Deputy Minister for External Economic Relations, Mr Matti Anttonen, will concentrate on bringing together important stakeholders from both countries to deliberate on matters of mutual interest.
According to Ms Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury, the Finnish Ambassador, with the new government in place in Nigeria and the country’s strong focus on promoting governance, security and sustainable inclusive economy, it is more important than ever to make the most of the existing opportunities between her country and Nigeria.
Ambassador Pirjo told the meeting that over 10 Finnish companies, representing areas such as ICT, Telecommunications, CleanTech, Power, Oil & Gas, Health and Education, are expected to have a Business-to-Business meeting with Nigerian businessmen and women, saying that she sees this as a great opportunity to strengthen trade and economic relations between Nigeria and Finland.
She further stated that interest in Finland towards Nigeria as a business destination is growing, and already, there are important Finnish companies doing business in the country, and many more opportunities exist. “As the largest economy on the continent, with the biggest population and almost unlimited possibilities, Nigeria is an obvious destination in Africa when promoting business and economic ties; expanding trade between Finland and Nigeria will offer win-win opportunities that will benefit both countries and their peoples.
“The business delegation represents sectors in which Finland has strong know-how and expertise, and which can offer solutions in areas that are important priorities for Nigeria. ICT and digitalization, for instance, can be very instrumental in promoting good governance and in fighting corruption, as well as providing solutions in education and health,” Ambassador Suomela-Chowdhury added.
However, for Finnish companies, a visit like this is an excellent way to establish and strengthen important networks, to share what they have to offer, and to learn about the many opportunities that Nigeria offers. The Ambassador also believes that the delegation will return to Finland with many new concrete ideas and plans for stronger trade ties between Finland and Nigeria.
