FOR the first time in 50 years, over 60 high networth investors from Belgium will be storming Nigeria to explore investment opportunities in such areas as power, transport, logistics, agro-allied and health, among others.
The expected huge investments in these sectors, should they materialize, would create a lot of employment opportunities and also contribute immensely to the growth of the nation’s economy. While in the country, the investors will network and establish prospective business partners.
Their investment exploration is under the auspices of the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce and the Belgian Commercial Information and Documentation Centre.
According to the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Dirk Verheyen, who addressed newsmen in Abuja Thursday, the drive stems from the revelation of the great opportunities existing in the country following the recent rebasing of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The development is coming on the heels of a lopsided trade relationship between both countries, in favour of Belgium, which exports to Nigeria as at the end of 2013 stood at N459.165 billion, as against Nigeria’s N16.753 billion.
Ambassador Verheyen explained: “Our country is with a total export figure of two billion Euros a year - the third largest European exporter to Nigeria. But it’s time for diversification and for more sustainable structure of our trade. This is why there was such a big response in Belgium when Flanders Investment and Trade, in charge of commercial missions, looked for candidates to come to Nigeria.
“Everyone knows that the progress of the GDP in your country has been 7 percent for over a decade. So, more than 60 companies are coming to Lagos from June 1 to 4, 2014. 50 of them will latter that week make the trip to the Federal Capital Abuja; stay here until the 6th.
“Not by accident, the trade delegation is headed by the President of the Port of Antwerp, Sir Marx Van Peel, who is also Deputy Mayor of that city - the second largest port in Europe - with an annual turnover of almost 200 million tons, that is to say almost 10 times the output of the biggest African port.”
He added: “During their trip to Lagos, the trade delegation will visit the (Nigerian Ports Authority) NPA and the Apapa Port. Antwerp has excellent relations of friendship and cooperation with both. Still in Lagos, the mission will also visit the Eco Atlantic City project - as a matter of fact, a Belgium international dredging giant and a Belgian construction company are actively involved in this public-privet project.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
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