Mr. Roberts Orya, MD/CEO, NEXIM Bank |
Yes, Tectono
Business Review can confidently say that under Mr. Roberts Orya as the MD|CEO, Nexim Bank’s initiatives have led
to the development of non-oil sectors such as agriculture, entertainment, solid
minerals and export promotion to mention a few.
In view of
this, contemporary partnership which Nexim Bank plans to enter into with some
countries and trade bodies targeted at promoting non-oil sectors of the
nation’s economy is quite commendable and need to be vigorously pursued because
of the multiplier effects therein. One of such is the recent partnership plan
between the bank and Greece. It would be recalled that the Greek ambassador to
Nigeria, Mr. AlekosIkonomopoulos,
recently during a visit to the headquarters of the bank in Abuja indicated
interests to partner with Nexim Bank in his country’s quest to develop non-oil
exports with Nigeria. Such partnership should be encouraged because they will
provide export opportunities for Nigerian goods, which will in turn positively
improve upon the gross domestic products of the country.
Tectono Business Review gathered
that during the discussion with the management of Nexim Bank, Mr. AlekosIkonomopoulos stated that Greece
would seek ways to collaborate with Nigeria in ensuring the success of the
partnership.
He said: “We shall create the enabling environment for Greek investors
to collaborate with Nigeria in the areas of technology, maritime and
agriculture.”
Mr. Orya expressed
his appreciation to Mr. AlekosIkonomopoulos for the initiative, and added that
the prospect of the synergy was bright because of the Sealink Project which
would provide a good platform for the non-oil sector exportation. According to
him, the Sealink is a private sector-driven project, and that Nexim Bank is
only facilitating its establishment in line with its mandate, as the Trade
Policy Bank of Nigeria, to promote and deepen non-oil export trade. According
to him, the Sealink Project will promote intra and inter-African trade, thereby
fostering regional integration, economic growth and development in the West and
Central African sub-regions.
Similarly,
Nexim Bank has also concluded plans to partner with the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Nexim Bank boss made this
development known when the deputy director general of the WTO, Mr. Yonov Fred Agah, visited him in
Abuja. According to him, such collaboration will remove bottlenecks usually
associated with international trade. Just like the Greek deal, that of the WTO
would be enhanced by various platforms already initiated by the bank. Some of
them are:
·
ECOWAS Trade Support Facility (ETSF)
·
Interstate Road Transport Scheme (ISRT)
·
Nigerian Creative and Entertainment facility.
The
determination of the bank to collaborate with the WTO will no doubt deepen
Nigeria’s relationship with relevant government agencies which will in turn
determine the mechanism to drive Nigeria’s export market. Mr. Agah, during
their discussion, revealed that trade finance was the core area of encouraging
regional integration and a key factor in eradicating poverty.
In Mr. Agah’s
own words: “The WTO provides the framework for
negotiating trade agreements and dispute resolution processes to enforce
participants’ adherence to WTO terms. Trade finance is the core area of
encouraging regional integration and a key factor in eradicating poverty. The
WTO aims to create awareness and proffer solutions to peculiar experiences in
different countries with regards to trade.”
Mr. Agah
believes that although empirical trade policy analysis was lacking, the WTO was
working on developing a global value chain for better trade regimes, and
promised to work with the Nexim Bank to achieve its goals.
Owing to the
global slide in oil prices and the quest by Nigeria to diversify her economy by
developing other sectors, such collaborations are coming at the right time. The
world, it is said, is a global village and the only way for Nigeria to holistically
develop is by collaborate with relevant bodies that will promote her export opportunities.
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