-By Yange Ikyaa
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), in collaboration with the Nigeria-Russia Business Council (NRBC) and Expotech Tour Ltd of Russia, is organising the Nigeria-Russia Business Forum (NRBF) 2019, which it says promises to be an important platform for entrepreneurs and investors who are active in rapidly growing economies.
According to a statement issued at the weekend by ACCI Media and Strategy Officer, Lubem Gena, the event is scheduled to hold from Monday, 20th-Tuesday 21st May, 2019 at the ACCI International Trade and Convention Centre, which is located at Kilometre 8, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Airport) Road, Abuja.
In a joint press release from ACCI and NRBC, the two economic development entities described Nigeria and Russia as very important countries and valuable markets for producers of products in terms of goods and services.
The President of ACCI , Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, said the “primary focus of the NRBF is to give special attention to economic issues and sectors like industrialisation, agriculture, agro-processing, fertilizer, health, telemedicine, railway value chain (coaches, wagons, rolling stocks, equipment and accessories), fibre reinforcement, tourism, banking/finance, investment, metal/foundries, training and commodity marketing.”
Several reputable companies, both in Nigeria and Russia, operating in the various sectors will be joined in discussions with the aim of transferring knowledge and deepening economic diplomacy.
The occasion will also serve as a platform where products and services will meet customers, and where Business to Business (B2B) meetings will provide the perfect opportunity to network and cultivate lasting business relationships and strategic partnerships.
Other features at the forum will include interactive business communication, signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), access to potential buyers and future clients, presentation of innovative products and developments.
The essence of all these features is to provide an ideal setting for both Nigeria and Russia to improve their economies in addition to promotion and consumption of products locally produced between the two countries.
The Russian delegation will be jointly led by the Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, Prof. Stephen Ugbah, who has worked very hard with his team at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow to facilitate the event in Abuja.
ACCI had in December last year signed an agreement in Moscow with the Russia-Nigeria Business Forum (RNBF) to organise this event and other upcoming ones.
Both parties had used the occasion of the meetings to renew the need for deepening trade relations between Nigeria and Russia.
They also made preparatory ground work to specifically express readiness to partner with each other in a manner that would revive the old economic ties that existed between the two countries.
Prince Kayode in all the meetings called for a refocused relationship between Nigeria and Russia not to be based on trading in finished goods only but also work on critical areas like setting up manufacturing industries, agro-processing, steel and metallurgy, automobile, oil and gas and technology transfer to Nigeria.