PICTURE: L-R: NIPC Acting Executive Secretary/CEO, Emeka Offor; MD, BOI, Kayode Pitan; Greek Minister of Minister of Development and Investment, Spyrison Adonis Georgiadis, and President, Greek–Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Technology (GNCCT), Michael Economakis.
MEDIATRACNET
The investment drive by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) is yielding results, with a team of Greek investors led by the country’s Minister of Development and Investment, Spyrison Adonis Georgiadis expected in Nigeria to explore investment opportunities.
Prospects for investments in Nigeria by Greek investors was the subject of a meeting between a Nigerian delegation, which included the Acting Executive Secretary of NIPC/CEO, Emeka Offor, and the Greek Minister of Development and Investment, Spyrison Adonis Georgiadis on Monday.
The meeting was held in Athens, Greece as part of the one-day Greek-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Technology Investment and Trade Summit on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Offor told the Greek Minister that “the trade and Investment relationship between Nigeria and Greece predates the Independence of Nigeria as a country.”
The NIPC boss said most of these investments have grown over years to become leaders in various sectors of the Nigerian economy, thereby making Greece a strong partner in Nigeria’s investment landscape.
Other members of the Nigerian delegation during the visit were the Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Kayode Pitan, and President, Greek–Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Technology (GNCCT), Michael Economakis.
On his part, Managing Director, BoI, Pitan said Nigeria remained the largest economy in Africa, with great investment potentials in different sectors.
Pitan said Nigeria’s vast economic status and potentials present the country as the most viable entry point into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
In his response, the Greek Minister, Georgiadis, expressed appreciation of the delegation for the visit and acknowledged Nigeria as one of Greek’s major trading partners and a friendly investment destination in Africa.
The minister expressed his readiness to lead a strong investment delegation to Nigeria in 2022 to build on the existing relations, as well as open new frontiers of cooperation and partnership towards the development of their economies.
In her remarks, the Nigerian Ambassador to Greece, Nimi Akinkugbe, acknowledged the thriving bilateral relations between Nigeria and Greece, which has seen Greek investors actively contributing to Nigeria’s industrial aspiration.
The ambassador noted, in particular, the pivotal role of companies like Leventis Group, Mandillas Group and Flour Mills Nigeria Plc in paving the way for Nigerian Greek industrial relations to flourish.
She expressed the hope that the two countries will continue to partner together to grow their economies going forward.
The meeting was hosted by the Greek-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Technology (GNCCT) with the support of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Greece.
