Nigeria has intensified its efforts to attract investments from foreign firms, focusing on diversifying its economy through the non-oil sector. The country is particularly encouraging Singaporean companies to explore opportunities in mining, agriculture, and renewable energy.
This commitment was reaffirmed during a meeting in Abuja between Dunoma Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore, who led a delegation to strengthen bilateral ties.
Ahmed expressed Nigeria’s readiness to welcome more Singaporean companies, highlighting their potential to create jobs and contribute to the nation’s GDP. He acknowledged the positive impact of existing Singaporean businesses like Olam, Wilmar, Indorama, Tolaram, and Pacific International and emphasised that Nigeria now offers an enabling environment for investors.
“The Tinubu administration is committed to diversifying the economy, focusing on sectors such as mining, agriculture, and renewable energy. We invite Singaporean companies to leverage the numerous business opportunities in Nigeria,” Ahmed stated.
The Nigerian delegation also submitted a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical and vocational training, aimed at youth empowerment and mutual capacity building. Through the Singapore Cooperation Programme for Technical Assistance, approximately 700 Nigerian government officials have already benefited from training programmes provided by Singapore.
Dr Osman commended Nigeria’s youthful population, noting its potential for manpower development. He shared Singapore’s experience in prioritising human resource development as a key driver of economic growth and expressed a willingness to collaborate further on technical and vocational training for Nigerian youths.
“We are open to sharing our expertise in human capacity development and tailoring training programmes to meet Nigeria’s specific needs. We also provide postgraduate scholarships for Nigerian officials and priority allocations for capacity-building initiatives under the Singapore-African Partnership,” Osman said.
The meeting underscored both nations’ commitment to fostering stronger economic and developmental partnerships. By leveraging these opportunities, Nigeria aims to strengthen its economy and create a robust platform for sustainable growth in non-oil sectors.
