President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that the Nigerian government will continue to support efforts to broaden the economy through multilateral financing.
Buhari spoke at a parley with Prof. Benedict Oramah, President, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
They met on Sunday in Durban, South Africa, ahead of Monday’s opening ceremony of the 2nd Intra-African Trade Fair Conference.
The President thanked Afreximbank for supporting Nigerian businesses and, by extension, the economy.
“Rest assured you can count on me as you seek a better trade and investment climate in Africa”, he said.
Oramah hailed Buhari for honouring the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the Afreximbank-backed Fair, joining other leaders.
He said the President understands the importance of trade and how Intra-African trade can help transform Nigerian and African economies.
Oramah also thanked Buhari for granting the land and accepting to grace the ground-breaking ceremony of the bank’s Africa Medical Centre of Excellence project in Abuja in December.
He described Nigeria as an important market for the bank “with an exposure of N5.5billion”.
Oramah recalled that Nigerian businesses got deals worth over N3.3billion during the fair’s first edition in Cairo, Egypt, assuring that this year’s would witness more.
“Nigeria’s participation was essential as the largest economy in Africa. Africa needs Nigeria as Nigeria needs Africa.
“Anything we do at the continental level that does not have Nigeria is seen globally as incomplete”, Oramah added.
