SA business delegation visits a free trade zone in Nigeria

THE SOUTH African business delegation taking part in the outward trade and investment mission in Nigeria has visited the Lekki free trade zone, a privately-owned free trade zone outside Lagos, as part of the site visit programme, the trade and industry department (dti) said yesterday.

South Africa’s foreign economic representative in Nigeria, Calvin Phume, said that it was important to expose the South African business delegation to the likes of the Lekki free trade zone to showcase the vast opportunities available across the Nigerian economic sectors where they could look into setting up public-private partnerships and joint-ventures.

“Opportunities do abound in Nigeria. South Africa has taken a conscious decision to be a partner with Nigeria during their development phases and that Nigeria, like most countries on the continent, presents a wealth of business opportunities for South African companies,” Phume said.

The visit was an opportunity to continue pursuing economic collaboration and partnerships with Nigeria, and crafting the way forward for sustainable economic development and the development of investment in the African continent, he said.

Lekki free trade zone general marketing manager Oyewole Adegoke said efforts were being made to market Nigeria by focusing on key economic sectors identified by government.

He said he was delighted to host a business delegation from South Africa and to disseminate information on current investment opportunities in the free trade zone to South African businesspeople.

“Our aim is to market Nigeria’s economic potential to investors across the entire world, as a private organisation working closely with the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority and its stakeholders,” Adegoke said.