20-member Tunisian delegation arrives in Nigeria for economic forum

A 20-member business delegation from Tunisia has arrived in Nigeria for the Nigeria-Tunisia Economic Forum to explore and create various investment opportunities between the two countries.

The delegation, led by the president of Tunisia Africa Business Council, Anis Jaziri, was received by the Tunisian ambassador to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday afternoon. The nearly weeklong event, which started Tuesday, will end on Friday.

The forum, organised in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, is expected to boost the Nigeria-Tunisia bilateral economic relations.

Speaking to diplomatic correspondents on arrival, Jaziri said the delegation’s visit was unprecedented for such a large group, comprising representatives from multiple sectors of the Tunisian economy.

He listed the various sectors, including construction, information technology, health, trading, engineering, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, mechanical, electrical and chemical industry sectors, among others.

Speaking earlier ahead of the historic event, Mr Antit explained that choosing Nigeria for the forum was strategic because Nigeria is the richest and biggest ECOWAS member state and Africa’s largest economy.

He said organising the forum in the country was part of the framework aimed at adding new momentum to the existing bilateral relations between Tunisia and Nigeria.

According to him, the forum is the second lap of the first forum, Financing Investment Trade Africa (FITA), held in June in Tunisia and attended by no fewer than 35 Nigerian companies.

The envoy called for more trade among African countries and expressed dismay that most African countries historically trade with other continents.