Buhari lauds Norway’s role in $1bn fundraising for North East region

President Muhammadu Buhari has voiced delight at the progress made in Nigeria-Norwegian relations in the last four years.

President Buhari spoke at a virtual farewell meeting on Friday with the out-going Ambassador of Norway to Nigeria, Jens-Petter Kjemprud.

The President, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, hailed the out-going Ambassador for the bilateral accomplishment in the area of oil and gas, fishing, humanitarian assistance in the Northeast and other benefits that his efforts have brought to Nigeria.

“I congratulate you on your performance and hard work and for the help in the promotion of welfare of people in the Northeast where we have problem of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs and in infrastructural deficit. We are very grateful. Thank you,” President Buhari said.

The out-going Ambassador, in his speech, said his four-year tenure had grown economic relations between the two nations substantially, noting in particular, the presence of more than 70 Norwegian companies in the country as well as the important step by the Norwegian Sovereign Welfare Fund to invest in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

He also cited as a very important achievement, the organisation of two donor conferences driven by Norway that raised more than USD 1 billion for the development and humanitarian assistance to the Northeast.