The Federal Government of Nigeria has called for increased bilateral cooperation with Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) in various sectors where both parties have comparative advantages.
This request was made during a courtesy visit by the AFD Mission Executive to Nigeria, hosted by the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Nebeolisa Anako, in Abuja.
Sen. Bagudu expressed appreciation for AFD’s interventions in Nigeria over the past fifteen years and urged for more collaborative efforts, particularly in sports development, energy, compressed natural gas (CNG), and the establishment of hydro-power plants.
He emphasized the need for environmentally friendly energy solutions that could be developed through Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangements.
“We want to improve our energy sector with environmentally friendly solutions, and we believe that cooperation with AFD can help us achieve this,” Bagudu stated.
Mr. Phillipe Orliange, the Executive Mission Lead for AFD, acknowledged Nigeria’s growing importance within the international financing development community and expressed AFD’s readiness to enhance its involvement in the country.
He highlighted the aim of their visit as exploring future investment opportunities to support Nigeria’s National Development Plans (NDP) and President Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda.
“AFD, as a Public Financing Institute, is committed to offering support in the implementation of Nigeria’s National Development Plans and realizing the current administration’s goals,” Orliange said.
During the meeting, Dr. Kenneth Kwujeli, Acting Director of Plans and Projects, presented an overview of the National Development Plan and its alignment with the administration’s renewed hope agenda.
The Agence Francaise de Development Group, a public financial institution dedicated to implementing the French Government’s development plans, will celebrate 15 years of sustainable impacts in Nigeria on June 27, 2024, in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has called on participants of the 30th African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) General Assembly, currently hosted by the Standards Organization of Nigeria in Abuja, to leverage the event to foster political commitment and form strategic partnerships.
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, delivered the call to action in her opening address at the event themed “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century – Building a Quality Culture – One Market, One Standard.”
Dr. Uzoka-Anite stressed that collaboration among African nations and ARSO member states is vital for the successful implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, particularly in establishing a Common Regulatory Framework.
