Portugal partners Nigeria to improve health, pharmaceuticals

Portugal has expressed its readiness to strengthen the trade ties with Nigeria, even as some Portuguese firms have concluded plans to leverage opportunities in the country and invest in the key sectors of the economy.



The representatives of various firms from Portugal who were at the Nigeria Portugal Friendship and Business Association dinner in Lagos noted that there are a lot of business opportunities in Nigeria where they can invest, adding that its investment in Nigeria would focus on construction, food industries, Health, Pharmaceuticals, Body building, and IT amongst others.

  The Director of Business Services Department, Portuguese Maria Helena Ramos said: "There are group of Portuguese from construction companies, food industries, Health, Pharmaceuticals, Body building, and IT amongst others, who want to invest in Nigeria".

 She disclosed that they came to see how business thrives in Nigeria, adding that so far they have discovered that there are lots of business opportunities in Nigeria.

  According to her the companies from Nigeria have sectors that match with those in Portuguese.

 Speaking at the occasion, Executive Director Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, (NIBSS), Christabel Onyejekwe, said: "This is a partnership between NIBSS of Nigeria and SIBS of Portugal to partner to create the Nigeria Portugal Business Friendship Association.

  "Our presence here is simply to augment the presence of Nigerians. We represent the Nigerians that will love to do business in Portugal.

  "We are telling them that Nigeria is quite safe, rich in resources and have a lot of potentials. Over the years, Chinese and Indians are doing good business here.  We will as well try to tap from those opportunities here in Nigeria."

  The Managing Director, Union Bank Nigeria, Emeka Emuwa, who is also the Chairman of the association, explained that the association started in 2012 with the active support and participation of Nigerian ambassadors in Portugal and Portuguese ambassadors in Nigeria.

  "We had a feeling of warm relationship between Nigeria contingents and people in Portugal.

 "The relationship has blossomed since it started two years ago because we discovered there are diverse opportunities in the both countries," Emuwa said.

  Nigeria Portugal Friendship and Business Association, at the event, declared that it is fully prepared to support the development of business relations between the two countries, with a highly customized approach for each company.