Nigeria, Indonesia trade tops $3bn annually — envoy

Nigeria and Indonesia share a bilateral trade relationship that consistently exceeds $3 billion annually, according to Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Bambang Suharto. The ambassador emphasized Nigeria's status as one of Indonesia's key trading partners in Africa and called for increased economic collaboration between the two countries.

He highlighted that Nigeria's energy supply is crucial to Indonesia's energy security, while Indonesian products have become commonplace in Nigeria. Suharto noted that there is significant room for growth in the partnership, given the combined population of over 550 million people in Indonesia and Nigeria. He also mentioned that Indonesian companies in Nigeria contribute to the relationship through investments, job creation, and corporate social responsibility.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, emphasized the potential for further deepening the economic partnership, particularly in areas such as industrialization, digital transformation, infrastructure development, agriculture, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Both countries were urged to enhance interaction between their private sectors, chambers of commerce, and financial institutions to overcome practical constraints to bilateral commerce.