Tunisia, Nigeria to hold first economic forum in Abuja

The Embassy of Tunisia will hold an economic forum with Nigeria in Abuja from 9th to 13th September 2024 to boost trade relations between the two countries.

The Ambassador of Tunisia to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, disclosed this during a parley with diplomatic journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.

“At first, it was agreed to organise the Multilateral Economic Forum, scheduled to be held from the sixth to the ninth of September 2024 under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which is likely to give a new impetus and diverse charge to the economic and political relations between the two countries.

“The organisation of this forum in Nigeria is in itself, part and parcel of the framework of adding a new momentum to bilateral relations with Nigeria,” he said.

• UN recommends 15% budget financing to bridge gender gap in Nigeria
• Gunmen ambush Delta lawmaker’s wife, kill police escorts, driver

He said the Forum is the second lap of the Financing Investment Trade Africa (FITA) held in June 2024 in Tunisia where 35 companies from Nigeria were in attendance.

“For the first time, a delegation from Nigeria made up of more than 35 businessmen and CEOs went to Tunisia in order to participate in the FITA. It was so successful, so many contracts were signed between firms, and things are going for the best.

“Today, we are organising the reverse, a big delegation made up of more than 20 businessmen will come to Nigeria in Abuja for the organisation of the Multi-sectoral Economic Forum, which falls within the framework of keenness to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in the economic and investment fields.

“The Tunisian delegation that will participate in the forum is the first of its kind and in its size from Tunisia to Nigeria,” he said.

The ambassador said Nigeria is the richest and biggest economy in Africa, adding that it had a significant economic potential and favourable climates for investment and attracting businessmen.

The envoy who called for more trade among African countries, expressed dismay that most countries in the continent historically trade with other continents.

“Africa is first for Africans. So it’s true that we should, of course, deal with other people, with other continents, with other countries, but the priority is for the continent. So the priority of business is between Africans themselves. Tunisians and Nigerians are also Africans,” he said.