The Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Agatha Afoekelu, has called on Nigerians to leverage the business opportunities between Nigeria and Israel to promote economic development.
The Envoy made the call at the Nigeria Israel Business Forum (NIBF) Annual General Meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, adding that the Israeli authorities have agreed to collaborate with Nigerians in areas of agriculture and information technology.
She said, “I have spoken with the Israeli authorities and they have agreed to open doors to Nigerian Businesses.”
Afoekulu while speaking virtually said the meeting will help forge partnerships between the two nations.
Similarly, the President of the NIBF Chief Pat Grace Onwusi, said the forum was established to promote bilateral trade between the two nations. He said they have gathered again to discuss how to foster business and mutual benefits for the two countries.
The Israel Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, speaking through the Consul, Inbar Lipman Garden, said the country was open to Nigerians for businesses and urged legal businesses to invest and collaborate with the nation.
The keynote speaker Director of Economic Affairs with Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, Leo Vinovezky, said the country is willing to support technology interventions, he said this is the right time for Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with Israel.
Also, the CEONIDA agri and Aquaculture an Israeli business in Nigeria, Kidron Israel, said with the current economic crisis in Nigeria, businesses will be forced to look for alternative measures to ensure their continuous stay in business.
He noted that with the use of technology like irrigation, advanced systems in fisheries and agriculture generally, it will be possible.
The Economic Adviser to the Israel Embassy, Florence Osuji said the essence of the Forum is to draw awareness to business relations between Nigeria and Israel to promote our products, especially non-oil products in the state of Israel.
“We as a forum observed that trade has been really one-sided. We have not been doing enough to uh, uh business, uh with Israel in terms of exporting our products over there.