Nigeria, Kenya businesspeople to hold talks

President Uhuru Kenyatta with his Nigerian counterpart Goodluck Jonathan (left) at State House in Nairobi, Thursday. [Photo: Mbugua Kibera/Standard]

By Standard Reporter

Nairobi, Kenya: The Kenya business community will today host a team of high-profile Nigerian businessmen and women in a forum where an agreement to improve trade ties will be signed.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) will lead the Kenyan side in the talks where an MOU with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) will be signed in a bid to promote trade and investment for growth and prosperity of both Nigeria and Kenya.

The Nigerian Chamber of Commerce National President Alh Muhammad Abubakar will lead a group of influential businessmen such as billionaire Aliko Dangote, and 50 other wealthy investors in a fleet of seven private jets in accompanying President Goodluck Jonathan on a four-day visit to Kenya that is expected to see the level of interaction between the two countries increase.

Present at the forum will be host President Uhuru Kenyatta, Nigerian governors Peter Obi, Jona Jang and Dr Olesegun Mimiko.

Two nations

They will be expected to urge members of the business communities of the two nations to quickly establish mechanisms of trade and investment, and encourage tourism to flourish between the two nations.

The meeting will officially open at 8am, with statements from Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amina Mohamed and Nigeria’s Federal Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment Olesegun Aganga.

“Investment between the two countries will go a long way in eliminating negative perceptions and stereotypes, which have damaged trade,” KNCCI Chairman Kiprono Kittony said.