-Set to boost business relationship with Nigeria

By Peter OBIORA investadvocate

Sept 20 2010 07.29 GMT

 

Lagos–Singapore is set to launch the African-Singapore business Group October 14 2010 so as to create a framework and scope of engagement between African Countries; especially Nigeria and itself.  

 

 

His Execellency, Chief Haresh Aswani, Honourary Consul of the Republic of Singapore in Nigeria made this affirmation Saturday 18 2010 in Lagos Nigeria at a media roundtable with Business Editors.

 

 

“Over the last four to five years, Nigeria and Singapore has worked closely and we are trying to create a framework and scope of engagement between both countries, and one of the things that we have embarked on is that we have now created the African-Singapore Business Group, this will be launched on October 14 2010 in Singapore” Chief Aswani said.

 

 

He affirmed that the African Business Group will be under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore with another objective of creating fostering closer relationship between Singapore and the African countries; especially Nigeria.

 

 

“Another objective of this Business Group is to create and foster closer relationship between Singapore and the African countries; dominant of which of will be Nigeria”.

 

 

The Singaporean Consul further affirmed that his country tend to follow this up with an Investment Forum tagged “Nigeria-Singapore Business and Investment Forum” scheduled for October 25 to 27 2010 at the Raffles Convention Centre, Singapore.

 

 

“We hope to invite to the forum; many Nigerian Investment Companies; such as Banks, Businessmen, operators in the Oil and Gas Industry, those in the Power Sector, Real Estate to come and see the opportunities of trying to build business relationships between Singapore and other countries” he said.

 

Other sectors targeted include Healthcare Services, Tourism and Hospitality, Aviation, Maritime, Ports and Logistics, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) among others.

 

 

In the same vein, Mrs. Affiong Amana, Facilitator of the Media Roundtable and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cognitus Consulting affirmed with passion that the proposed Nigeria-Singapore Business and Investment Forum would among other things promote business exchange between both countries business communities, create a credible, strategic and productive business networking platform for Nigerian and Singaporean Businesses.

 

 

Others are to reinforce the national thrust on positioning Nigeria as the preferred destination for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), develop cooperation and tourism.

 

 

Apart from these, Mrs. Amana further affirmed that this relationship would serve as an advocacy vehicle which strengthens the multilateral relations between Nigeria and the Asian Pacific community as well as promote South South cooperation.

 

 

She highlighted some of the benefits of the proposed forum as access to business networking platform which Singapore and its international enterprise would provide. Also, participants will be required to post leads on the Nigeria-Singapore Biznet Portal.

 

 

Another benefit of participating in the forum Mrs. Amana said is the collaboration with Singapore Chambers of Commerce and support from the Singapore Business Federation and International Enterprise. “This provides credible networking platform for Nigerian Participants” she affirmed.