Nigeria and Bangladesh will consolidate the mutually rewarding relationship between the two countries, President Muhammadu Buhari has said. The President spoke in Abuja while hosting the outgoing High Commissioner of Bangladesh, MD Shameen Ashan, in a virtual farewell. He congratulated the envoy on “the strides you have attained on the relationship between our two friendly countries”. In a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari said: “We will continue to expand on what you have achieved: operations in agriculture, military cooperation, and in many other areas, will continue.”
Ashan thanked Nigeria for the support he received in over two years he spent in Nigeria, saying the bilateral relations between both countries had improved with many Memoranda of Understanding signed while others were still in the works.
“Over 60 delegates visited Nigeria from my country for different purposes during my tenure. My wife and I will miss beautiful Nigeria,” Ashan said.
Also, Trade, Industry and Investment Minister Adeniyi Adebayo has called for an enhancement of existing bilateral trade between Nigeria and Bangladesh.
Adebayo spoke at the weekend at the inauguration of the Commercial Display Room of the Bangladesh High Commission in Abuja.
The minister said he was delighted that the two-way trade between the two countries had increased from US$11.27 million in Year 2018/2019 to US$144.75 million in 2019/2020, stressing the need to further enhance the trade relations.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo, the minister noted that there are huge potentials for strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries, which has largely remained unutilised.
“Nigeria under the visionary leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari enjoys a respectful place in the world, and it has already become the largest economy in Africa. Nigeria has taken a series of steps to diversify its export basket as too much dependence on its oil revenue cannot be a viable option.
“I fully agree with what the Commerce Minister of Bangladesh has just said. There are huge potentials for strengthening trade and economic relations between Bangladesh and Nigeria which remain largely unutilised,” he said.
Adebayo described the launch as an innovative idea to showcase export potentials of any country in a foreign land.
He said: “I am impressed to see the wide and wonderful collections of the exportables of Bangladesh in beautifully designed and tastefully decorated shelves.
“I have no doubt that the display room will go a long way to get a sense about the export potentials of Bangladesh and the investment climate in the country.
“We will also be happy to explore increased imports from Bangladesh while Bangladesh may like to consider importing products, like oil and cotton, cashew nuts, among others, from Nigeria.
“We are aware of Bangladesh’s unique position as being the second largest exporter of ready-made garments in the world, only after China, and we invite Bangladesh’s potential investors to come and invest jointly in Nigeria, in the sectors like textile/pharmaceutical/ceramics, jute etc. in the various industrial zones that we are setting up in Nigeria.”
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