Nigeria, Indonesia’s largest commercial partner – Envoy

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Harry Purwanto, yesterday said though the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries is falling, Nigeria still remains Indonesia’s largest commercial partner.

The envoy stated this while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming 72nd Independence Day of Indonesia in Abuja.

He said NigeriaIndonesia bilateral trade reached $4 billion in 2014 but fell to $2 billion last year.

The envoy blamed the drop on the low price of crude, which, he said, is the largest export product from Nigeria to Indonesia.

“We still import the same volume of crude from Nigeria but the falling oil price in the international market contributes to the low bilateral trade,” he said, adding that the volume of non-oil exports to Indonesia increased by 12%.

The trade relations, Purwanto said, relied on the private sector, assuring that the embassy is committed to ensuring growing trade ties by educating Indonesia’s business community on the investment potentials in Nigeria.

He said successful Indonesian companies already operating in Nigeria are a good testimony for their counterparts in the southeast Asian nation.

Speaking on the country’s economic development since independence in 1945, the envoy said Indonesia has achieved a lot in 72 years but said “we still need to keep fortifying our country to be a nation that is prosperous and peaceful.”