By Miriam Humbe, Abuja
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening collaboration with Canada on strategic sector of the economy that would facilitate industrial development.
A statement from the Ministry said Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Evelyn Ngige said this when Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Teshome Nkrumah visited her on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dr. Ngige said Nigeria was committed to bilateral agreement that would enhance economic development and deepen technical engagements between Nigeria and Canada.
The Permanent Secretary said Canada Trade and Investment Forum with the theme: “Towards Stronger Economic Prosperity” was held in Ottawa, Canada early this year to accelerate economic and commercial relations between Canada and Nigeria.
She said that: “The forum provides the platform for business leaders and policy makers from both countries to share ideas , discuss and build trade and investment.
“It also provides opportunities for stakeholders in both countries to collaborate on mutual areas of development such as governance, financial inclusion, education and gender empowerment.
The forum aimed to promote trade and investment between the two countries in targeted sectors of the Manufacturing, oil and gas, automobile, Free Zones Authority, renewable energy, banking and financial services, ICT, aviation, science and technology”.
She promised the Canadian delegation that Nigeria would soon give feedback for further negotiation on the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) between Nigeria and Canada.
The Director, Trade Department in the Ministry, Mr Suleiman Audu said that the Nigeria-Canada Trade and Investment Mission provided a platform to engage key government business and Non-Governmental-Organization (NGO).
He said that it allows stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced between Nigeria and Canada in trade as well as build Canadian support in the push for a foreign investor protection agreement and other agreements.
The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Teshome Nkrumah said that Nigeria and Canada had a lot of synergies in merchandise trading and minerals asset.
Nkrumah said that Canada was the major food exporter around the world with very strong potentials on ICT, aerospace, education, oil and gas.
He therefore, called on both countries to provide the framework for market place.
