Yemisi Izuora
Nigeria’s Ministry of State for Industry, Trade and Investment has disclosed that the volume of trade between the country and Poland soared to over N23 million in two years with Nigeria benefiting more.
Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Kenneth Kobani, issued the figure said that Nigeria gained trade surplus with Poland to the tune of N1,217,368,639 and N24,979,876,388 in 2011 and 2013 .
The minister at a meeting with Polish Deputy Minister for Economy, Mr. Andrzej Dycha in Abuja said the government has doubled effort to open Nigeria’s economy to both local and foreign businesses to invest in all sectors of the economy.
He also noted that there is room for enhanced trade related activities through diversifications and development of specific industrial parks with both countries.
“Poland had made tremendous stride over the year and Nigeria had also made giant stride. Poland represents a type of country Nigeria want to do business with.
Your effort and reforms which have benefitted your citizens are desirable to be copy for Nigeria to consolidate and achieve her dream of largest economy in the continent,” he said.
According to him, the ministry is the engine room of the economy,stressing that the officials of the ministry are ready to cooperate with their counterparts from Poland to enhance cordial relations of both countries adding that government is more interested in developing agro processing, mining, industrial city and the service sector
Responding, Dycha said Nigeria is a key partner of Poland in Africa, maintaining that their focus is to encourage Polish investors to invest and establish businesses in Nigeria with their priority to increase trade and investment in Nigeria.
He said Poland is one of the fastest growing economies in European Union (EU) and fastest growing in terms of industrial production in the first quarter of this year. “Our trade turnover exceeded $440 billion and we had achieved 60 per cent increase in trade with Nigeria.
Your experience is important to us and exchange of knowledge is germane to cooperation and development,” Dycha stressed.