The Embassy of Angola in Nigeria has announced plans to inaugurate a Visa and Investment Centre to facilitate travel from Angola to Nigeria.
The initiative, set to be launched on Tuesday, aligns with the celebration of April 4 as the Day of Peace and National Reconciliation in Angola.
In a statement released by the Institutional Communication and Press Services of the Embassy in Nigeria, Benin, Niger, and ECOWAS, it was revealed that the establishment of the centre signifies a significant step towards enhancing bilateral relations between Angola and Nigeria.
Part of the statement read: ”The Visa Application Centre in Port Harcourt is a collaborative effort between the Embassy and Akwa Helmes International Limited (AHIL), a private company.
”This centre will offer various services, including visa applications, investment facilitation, oil and gas industry support, and sun-sea and adventure tourism promotion.
”Additionally, it will assist with hotel reservations, ticket sales, and air connectivity to destinations operated by Angola’s national airline, TAAG.
”The inauguration ceremony will be graced by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who will serve as the special guest of Ambassador José Zau.”
Port Harcourt, located in Rivers State, boasts a population of approximately 10 million people and is strategically positioned in the heart of the vast Niger Delta.
The city is home to crucial petroleum and petrochemical industries, state-owned refineries, seaports, universities, and scientific and technological institutes.
Given its prominence in the oil and gas sector, the region is a hub for business people and technicians engaged in Angola’s oil and gas industry.
”The centre’s establishment aims to further strengthen academic cooperation by offering training institutes and technical internships tailored to the needs of the oil and gas sector,” the statement added.
In a related development, Olu Verheijen, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Energy, has revealed that under President Tinubu’s administration, the Nigerian government has opted for fiscal incentives in the oil and gas sector to attract investments.
Verheijen said there are plans to address fundamental issues in the sector to make Nigeria the preferred destination for oil and gas investments in Africa.