My take on Nigeria, Nigerians – Malaysian envoy
Mr. Datuk Lim Juay Jin is the Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria. In this interview, he says Nigeria has everything it takes to build a strong economy, just as both countries could explore deeper cooperation in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and o
Datuk Lim Juay Jin: Bilateral relations between Malaysia and Nigeria have been warm and cordial. The establishment of a resident mission in Lagos then was the first Malaysian mission in the sub-Saharan region before we relocated to Abuja in 2006. Since then, both countries have been cooperating closely in both bilateral and multilateral fora. This is because we share common memberships in international organisations-the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the D8 and of course, the Commonwealth. In all these fora, we have shared and adopted many similar positions and are working closely. Nigeria is also Malaysia’s natural partner due to our common backgrounds-the diversity, multi-cultural, multiethnic social make-up and more importantly, the similar weather condition.
Daily Trust: Is there any area you intend to improve upon?
The relationship is on a very solid foundation. It is incumbent upon the two countries to bring it to a new height. If you talk about specific areas, it would be imperative to look at the main components of our relations; education, people-to-people relations, trade and investment, just to name a few.
Another significant component of the bilateral relations is on tertiary education. Since a few years back, Nigeria has become the largest source of African students in Malaysia. I believe that this area of cooperation should be further promoted, including collaboration between institutes of higher learning from Malaysia and Nigeria. Another important area is tourism. Nigeria is rich in cultural heritage and has so much to offer. This is also one area that both countries can cooperate in, for example, Nigeria has the colourful Calabar festival in Cross River State. This is something Nigeria can popularise and sell to the whole world that can serve as a booster to tourism. As Nigeria continues to explore ways to diversify its economy, Malaysia could offer its expertise and developmental strategies that have transformed her from once a primarily agriculturebased economy to one with a strong industrial base. Areas that could be explored are agriculture, mining, manufacturing and other non-oil and gas sectors. One of the advantages that Malaysia has is in oil-palm plantation.
Daily Trust: What would you say about trade relations between both countries?
Nigeria and Malaysia are witnessing good and expanding trade relations. In 2015, Malaysia’s total trade with Nigeria was its second largest among African countries behind South Africa. I am pleased that in 2016, Nigeria emerged as the largest export destination in Africa for Malaysian products, surpassing South Africa. Meanwhile, in terms of import, Nigeria was the sixth source of imports for Malaysia among African countries, after South Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Tanzania and Egypt. The total trade value between Malaysia and Nigeria increased to $0.80bn in January to November 2016, from $0.68bn for the same period in 2015, an increase of 14.0 percent. From January to November 2016, Malaysia’s exports to Nigeria saw a growth of 20.2 percent, totaled to $0.71bn, from $0.59bn exported in the same period in 2015. Malaysia’s main exports to Nigeria in 2016 were refined petroleum products, electronic products, processed food and beverages, machineries to name a few.
In terms of imports from Nigeria, for the same period in 2016, I am happy to see the increase of 5.7 percent to $92.8m as compared to 2015. Major import item into Malaysia remained Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and crude natural rubber.
Daily Trust: What do you think is responsible for this increase in trade relations?
I will attribute the increase to trust and confidence in the quality of products. If you import or export more, there must be a mutual trust in your products. Malaysian products such as electrical and electronic appliances, palm oil and palmbased agricultural products and food items among others are well received by Nigerians.
Daily Trust: Why do you think Malaysia has become one of the top tertiary education destinations for Nigerians?
I can easily think of a few contributing factors. First is the linguistic environment, i.e. the English-speaking environment. You will not experience much cultural shock when you study in Malaysia. In addition, Malaysia offers education at a competitive cost without sacrificing quality, which I must say is comparable to those in the western countries. It is heartening to note that there are many Nigerians who find knowledge, experiences and exposure acquired in Malaysia useful and meaningful and they are highly employable after graduation, even some of them with excellent results managed to build and pursue their careers in Malaysia. These are some of the reasons why Nigerians find education in Malaysia suitable and beneficial. According to official figures, there are currently about 15,000 Nigerian students studying at various institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. Nigerians are very versatile, adaptive people and became envoys in their own rights. In some ways, they are spreading cultural understanding between the two countries.
Daily Trust: Is there any exchange programme between Nigeria and Malaysia?
Yes. There is an exchange programme under the banner of Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP). It is an initiative of the Malaysian government under the South-South Cooperation with the objective to share best practices in various fields with other developing countries. Since its inception in 1981, 460 Nigerian officials have benefited from the programme.
Daily Trust: What can Nigeria learn from Malaysia?
I think we are learning from each other. Malaysia has achieved considerable success due to its policy making and implementation. Over the decades, we have actually designed and implemented policies in a much organised way and targeted towards achieving results. The successive administrations of Malaysia have actually put a lot of efforts in terms of planning, implementing, monitoring, sustaining and ensuring the success of those policies. Nigeria is naturally endowed with huge human resources that come with its population dividend which is good for its consumer market.
Daily Trust: Within your stay so far in Nigeria, is there anything you find interesting about Nigerians?
In Malaysia, there is a saying; “tak kenal maka tak cinta”, which means “you can’t love what you don’t know”. The longer I stay in Nigeria, the more I appreciate its people. Nigerians are very welcoming people just like Malaysians. I think Nigerians are very lively and jovial. They are also very helpful. Personally, I have experienced so many situations where Nigerians provided assistance to me willingly. The country is diverse and there is strength in its diversity, though the challenges are there. Nigeria remains a country with huge potentials and with a lot to offer. These potentials must be exploited up to its optimal level. I firmly believe that the current economic recession presents a golden opportunity for everybody to venture into Nigeria and this will help to improve the situation. It is imperative for all of us to work together to pull the country out of the present condition.
Daily Trust: Is there anything you would you like to be remembered for when you leave Nigeria?
I want to be remembered as someone who came to Nigeria and contributed in some ways to enhance bilateral and trade relations between both countries by having more Malaysian companies operating in Nigeria and vice-versa. There are some already in Nigeria but more need to be done to ensure that the relations could be further strengthened.