The decision to explore the strengths of both countries for a win-win economic relationship was reached during a meeting between the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga and the 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.
“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,” Aganga said.
The two ministers have therefore, agreed to set up a technical team to execute the project as fast as possible.
The Netherlands foreign trade minister also disclosed that the country was setting up a 700m-euro growth fund to help their SMEs invest in growth areas, and agreed to the Federal Government’s proposal to put Nigeria on that list.
It was also agreed that there would be possibilities for Nigerian SMEs to access the growth fund to expand their businesses and also invest in critical and thriving sectors. The fund will be launched in January, 2014.
Aganga, however, pointed out that the Netherlands had been a big trading partner for Nigeria, noting that the two countries must 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.
The Netherlands government promised to review the problem and also reinstate the Consular office in Nigeria.
Businessmen and other visa categories, which have to go to the Belgian embassy in Abuja and the French embassy in Lagos to get Dutch visas, said during the forum, that the process was causing them pains.
The President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Chief Kola Jamodu, who also spoke to potential investors in The Hague, commended the Federal Government for putting in place, policies that had continued to improve the prospects of manufacturing in Nigeria.
He said, “Today, if it is necessary to grant waivers or create incentives, it goes to everybody, and this has increased confidence. Apart from Foreign Direct Investment, local industries are investing.
“Government is also the listening type. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said, when he was the Minister of Finance, that, we should go and get our blue-print for the development of the manufacturing sector. We came up with a 90-page blue-print, and I am happy to say that, today, 40 per cent of our recommendations have been implemented. The Government indeed deserves commendation.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment’s Diaspora Export Programme was well received by Nigerians in the Diaspora, both in Japan and the Netherlands.
The programme seeks to leverage on the high population of Nigerians in the Diaspora for the effective marketing of Nigerian goods and for the creation of wealth for Nigerians and Nation.
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