President Bola Tinubu has called on the Netherlands to pursue “creative and transformative” economic partnerships with Nigeria that generate tangible benefits for citizens of both nations.
Speaking at the Nigeria-Netherlands Business and Investment Forum in The Hague, Tinubu said bilateral ties between the two countries must translate into “verifiable gains” through innovative collaborations like joint ventures and strategic alliances.
The President’s Spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed details of Thursday’s talks in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu to Dutch industry: partnerships must be transformative; they must translate into real gains for our citizens.’
“We must ensure that the partnerships are creative and transformative in such a manner that the ordinary citizens of our countries can reap verifiable gains,” Tinubu told Dutch business leaders.
The Nigerian president argued his administration is implementing key reforms to enhance the country’s business environment and make it an “investor’s paradise.” Measures include cleaning up foreign exchange policies, removing fuel subsidies, and allowing foreign companies to repatriate profits.
Tinubu said these steps aim to “build bridges that connect markets and facilitate the flow of goods, services, ideas and peoples” between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
He urged Dutch companies to take advantage of Nigeria’s improving investment climate, saying “there is every need to re-invigorate this relationship” after decades of business ties.
Tinubu’s spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said the president wants to find “investment-minded solutions” to spur mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
The call comes as Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, seeks to boost foreign investment inflows.
The Netherlands was Nigeria’s biggest export trading partner in 2023. It ranked the highest among Nigeria’s export destinations, with N1.9bn worth of goods, representing 15 percent of the total N12.7bn for the fiscal year.
