British government explores possibilities for trade development in Nigeria
The British government is perfecting plans to explore more investment and business opportunities that would deepen the existing bilateral trade agreement between United Kingdom and Nigeria, says John Howell, British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.
The Prime Minister’s Envoy, who was on facility tour of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) Oil and Gas Free Zone (LFZ) last week, in company of Paul Arkwright, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ahmed Bashir, acting deputy high commissioner and other entourage, were conducted round the expensive Egina project yard, where the company is currently serving as local content partner to the Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) in the fabrication of a Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform, said to be the first in Africa by Amy Jadesimi, managing director of LADOL.
“We are here in Nigeria to sign-off the commitment, which the United Kingdom has in Nigeria and the wish to develop trade between the two countries. We are ready to bring the expertise that is in the UK to Nigeria, and to be able to work with Nigerian companies so as to take advantage of the inherent potential for the benefit of both countries,” Howell, disclosed.
Howell, who pointed out that increased trade prosperity between UK and Nigeria, would go a long way in benefiting both countries, also promised that such business opportunities would enthrone a mutual business benefit for both.
According to him, the team is very impressed with LADOL’s facility, which includes the state-of-the-art equipment and some unique equipment that cannot be found elsewhere in the whole of Africa. “This speaks volume about Amy’s visionary approach to the whole of the development and we are sure that it is going to be advantageous in the future. Being the first of its kind in the whole of Africa tells me that we are dealing with somebody who is very visionary and at the forefront of being able to address critical points.”
Continuing, he stated, “It also tells us that we are dealing with somebody, who is able to galvanise the finance and interest of companies around the world, and would be able to put together enormous operation that has fantastic competence to itself, which is something that we desperately need to bring to Nigeria.”
He promised to go back to UK and talk to companies in the oil and gas sector for example, about what is actually happening in LADOL and not just what comes on paper. “And it speaks volume that companies can see somebody who has been there, to really talk about it.”
Speaking on the significance of this historic visit to LADOL base, Jadesimi, who noted that this was the first visit of the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, also indicated that LADOL was proud to be one of the few facilities the Envoy visited. “We aimed to show the British Government the many opportunities available for investment in Nigeria and the significant benefits British companies would gain by being in Nigeria, which will become West Africa’s hub.”
The LADOL boss further averred that the FTZ was developed from the swamp about a decade ago. “Apart from creating and domesticating jobs as well as contributing hugely to customs revenue generation, the base has no doubt reaffirmed Nigeria’s position as Oil and Gas hub in West Africa.”
Uzoamaka Anagor-Ewuzie