Vice President Kashim Shettima says under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria is ready for business and committed to deepening ties with the Republic of Poland in different sectors of the economy.
This, he said can be done in the areas of defence cooperation, digital economy, agriculture and other sectors where Poland has shown remarkable comparative advantage, noting that “there is room for improved relations between our countries.”
He stated this during a courtesy visit by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Dr Krzysztof Gawkowski, to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Vice President told the Polish envoy that Nigeria is open for business, saying “since assumption of office over two years ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unlocked the full potentials of the Nigerian economy.
“We have liberalised the foreign exchange market; we have removed subsidy on petroleum products; we have harmonised our tax laws such that companies coming into Nigeria will not be overtaxed and there is room for improvement in our relationship in critical areas,” VP Shettima explained.
Speaking further about the potentials for partnership with Poland, VP Shettima maintained that the country is an industry leader in many areas of the economy, including ship-building, maritime economy, defence industries, digital economy and several other areas.
He said, “There is room for enhanced mutually beneficial business relations between Nigeria and Poland. We believe in a truly beneficial relationship than on reliance on any country for aid.”
Lauding the country’s positive development journey, the Vice President described Poland as one of the most progressive and strategic nations in Europe, promising improved cooperation with the government and people of Nigeria.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, Dr Gawkowski, said over the years, Nigeria has remained Poland’s most strategic partner in Africa.
He said “Nigeria is a country with enormous
demographic and technological potential, as well as Poland’s partner for development and long-term cooperation.”
He expressed optimism that the visit would signal new momentum for cooperation in the areas of the economy, innovation, and digitisation.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
