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By Salisu Sani-Idris
Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Thursday assured Swedish investors of the readiness of Nigeria for business with the global community.
Shettima gave the assurance at a Nigeria/Sweden Business Forum on Trade, Investment with focus on digital economy, agriculture and renewable energy>
The event, held at Epicenter in Stockholm, Sweden, the vice president said that the world was transiting to green economy, adding that global developments are tending towards Africa “and Nigeria will make or mar that transition.”
Shettima told the members of the Swedish investment team that the Nigerian digital space and ecosystem is yearning for support and investment.
According to him, President Tinubu speaks the language of investors, being private sector man who grew up in financial ecosystem.
” Nigeria, a country of 220 million people, by 2050 will surpass the United States. We will be the third most populous nation on earth.
“By the end of the century, Nigeria will be the most populous nation on earth and there are beauties in numbers. People celebrate China fundamentally because of the population and ingenuity.
” I can assure you that the Nigerian digital space, the Nigeria digital ecosystem is yearning for support and investment
” Nigeria beckons, a new Nigeria is calling on you and we are ready for business.
“Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am quite delighted to be back in Stockholm in this distinguish city of a great people, of a great civilisation and culture,” he said.
Shettima reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to harnessing the potential of the Nigerian youth.
” I believe Nigeria is where the action is. We have the talent, we have a very young resilient and resourceful population in Nigeria.
“With the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, this is the best time to come and invest in Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Akinola Jones, Director, Gluwa, a digital wallet service, said as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration, the company would train over 30,000 people on digital skills
” We see a situation that, once we launch our satellite in December this year, we can connect directly to satellite, and this is going to be a very big win for Nigeria and a very big win for the technology ecosystem.
Jones said that, already, they had started a training of about 1,000 people in Jigawa state, adding that it would be extended to the entire Northern Nigeria.
“We have given about a 100 million dollars loans. It is not just about disbursing loans, it is not just about trying to grow portfolios, it is really about given back.
” We are pushing for a lot of impact and we are also working with the government and presidency to train people on digital skills.
” And when it comes to funding, we been very innovative in the way we fund ourselves and I’m going to end it by saying it is not always about foreign funding. Local solutions to local problems are very important,” he said
Mr Edgar Luczak, Chairman, Partner & Head of Advisory, Epicenter, Sweden, noted that the future was digital and sustainable, assuring that the epicenter was ready to engage.
According to him, through collaboration both countries can build a stronger economy, create jobs and most importantly, ensure a future for future generation.
” Sweden is a home to some of the world most ground breaking companies in the world.
” And we have an education system that promotes creative thinking and ecosystem of universities leading the way in research, technology and entrepreneurship,” he said.
Ms Anthonia Huard, Regional Director, North & West Africa, Energy & Transport Lead, said the organisation focused on renewable energy, sustainable transport, healthcare, mining facilitated by digital economies and sustainability.
She noted that in order to be efficient in Africa, the organisation would prioritise Nigeria market
Also, Mr Hakan Danhltor, Director, Project Accelerator, Swedfund, expressed the commitment of the organisation to reduce poverty and support sustainable development through investments in the private sector and in local private companies.
” And as a matter of facts, Nigeria is a country where we have the third highest exposure in our recurrent portfolio.
” We have more than 30 direct to indirect investment in Nigeria in different sector but a lot of them are in the energy sector; helping to use clean energy from the renewable energy.
” We are working with the Nigerian Communications Commission to expand broadband deployment in Nigeria.
” This is one discussion we are really excited in continuing to see if we can collaborate,” he said.
Mikaela Edstrom, Swedish Export Credit Agency, said the agency is closely watching the ongoing economic reforms taking place in Nigeria and viewed it as a positive for the future.
The Managing Director, Ericsson Nigeria, Mr Peter Ogundele, revealed plans by the company to build 10 million dollar worth of technology hub in Nigeria.
” We can train them. Ericsson will also take part in it and some of them can be exported into the world.
Ogundele said Ericsson had been in Nigeria since independence, adding that the company was formally registered in 1978.
According to him, Ericsson has engaged in capacity building arrangement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and some organisations in Nigeria for the past 25 years.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Shettima also held bilateral talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Stenergard and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, Ebba Busch.
The discussions focused on strengthening ties and exploring new areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Sweden.
Shettima also visited the Royal Palace, where talks centered on deepening cultural ties and reinforcing the partnership between the two nations.
Dignitaries present at the event were; Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau,, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar and Mr Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
Others are Malam Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Malam Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communication Commission. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi
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