Nigeria is set to sign a Bilateral air services agreement with Qatar further boosting the current cordial relations between the two countries, says Nigerian Ambassador Shuaibu Adamu Ahmed.
“A delegation from Nigeria comprising directors from the aviation ministry arrived early this morning. We are going to start the negotiation process tomorrow and we hope to sign a new agreement by Tuesday,” Ambassador Ahmed told the media after the official opening of the Nigerian embassy here.
The Ambassador assured the diplomatic mission would work hard to improve the existing very cordial bilateral relations between the two countries, specifically on political and economic fields.
In terms of the economic area, he said they are looking at potential areas of investment by Qatar and private Qatari investors in Nigeria.
“Qatar today is the most prolific investor in the world. We intend to vigorously pursue that aspect to see how the Qataris can invest significantly in the Nigerian economy, which is one of the fastest growing not only in Africa but in the world,” he said.
With one of the highest in the world in terms of return of investment, the Nigerian economy would appeal to Qataris who are “pragmatic investors”, he added.
Among the areas of investment, Ambassador Ahmed mentioned agriculture, telecommunications, oil and gas, and banking as those which Qatari investors might find profitable to invest.
“Nigeria has a very fertile and conducive climate for agriculture and we know Qatar, as part of its long-term strategic vision, is looking at the aspect of food security. Already, they have invested in agriculture sector in a few African countries and we hope that they will favourably look at Nigeria. We have the land and the labour, 70 percent of Nigerians are in the agriculture sector,” he explained.
“Both Qatar and Nigeria are major oil and gas producers and exporters. Qatar has done extremely well in harnessing the oil and gas resources they have, we hope that this is one area that we can work with Qataris; we can learn from them and we can also get them to invest in our liquefied natural gas industry.”
He lauded Qatar as the centre of political dialogue in the world that could play an important role in solving the problem in Mali.
“In the political arena, one key area that Nigeria is looking forward to working with Qatar is trying to solve the problem in Mali. The stability of Mali will have a significant effect on the stability of the African region as a whole.”
A mobile e-Passport intervention team, Ambassador Ahmed said, is soon to visit Doha to service the Nigerian community here, as the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia is currently the only one in the Gulf region which issues passport. There is an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 Nigerians in Qatar and with the launch of the Embassy’s website this week the Mission would be able to finally document a more reliable number of the Nigerian population here, when Nigerians register through the website.
The Embassy’s was attended by Rashed bin Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister’s Assistant for Service Affairs; Ibrahim Y Fakhroo, Director of Protocol; heads of missions, embassy officials and other VIPs.
Located at Al Istiqbal Street between West Bay Petrol Station and Rainbow Roundabout, the Embassy is open from Sunday to Thursday, from 8am to 12pm (submission of documents) and from 2pm to 3pm (collection of documents).
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/242529-nigeria-opens-embassy-in-doha.html
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