In an appeal to Dutch businesses, President Bola Tinubu has called for new transformative economic partnerships between Nigeria and the Netherlands that result in tangible benefits for citizens in both nations.
Tinubu spoke at a business forum in the Dutch capital, where he urged companies to go beyond pursuing profits through routine cross-border deals and investments.
The president made clear that his priority was to ensure that Nigeria’s commercial partnerships abroad tangibly benefit its citizens through job creation, capacity building, and improved living standards.
“It is worthy to note that while this forum seeks to highlight and advance the potential of mutually beneficial partnerships, I wish to state here that we must also ensure that the partnerships are creative and transformative in such a manner that the ordinary citizens of our countries can reap verifiable gains.
“It is on record that Nigeria and the Netherlands have established business ties for decades. There is every need to re-invigorate this relationship. This is a call for creativity on the part of all of us,” Tinubu’s spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, quoted him as telling Dutch businesses.
Tinubu outlined his administration’s aggressive reforms to improve Nigeria’s business climate, including opening the foreign exchange market, abolishing fuel subsidies, and allowing full repatriation of profits.
“The cleaning up of our foreign exchange market to make it more transparent for seamless business transactions, removal of the fuel subsidy, and the readiness of the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide the necessary window to allow foreign companies repatriate their profits, among others,” the president stated.
He added, “Our countries possess unique strengths and resources. It is through collaboration that we can harness these strengths, unlock new opportunities, and drive economic development.
“Together, we have the potential to create synergies that will benefit our present and future generations. We must endeavour to replicate the success stories of various Dutch companies and enterprises by learning and sharing their experiences and approaches for the benefit of all.
“As the world braces up for today’s economic challenges, which in many ways affect our two countries, a creative approach to the search for investment-minded solutions will prove to be the most viable path to the level of sustainable development that we all desire.
“In line with the above vision, I believe that we must endeavour to push this narrative into our daily business activities and to move toward industrial value addition, agribusiness, innovative technology, green energy, marine economic expansion, as well as solid mineral exploitation and processing.
“As we engage in discussions and negotiations today, let us do so with a spirit of openness, trust, and mutual respect. Let us listen to one another, learn from each other, and find common ground that will allow us to move forward together in pursuit of our shared prosperity,” Tinubu concluded.
