President Goodluck Jonathan has kicked off the implementation of the Diaspora Export Programme, designed to improve trade between Nigeria and other countries of the world in favour of Nigeria.
The President, during a meeting with the Nigerian community in Nairobi, Kenya, said that the programme, laid down by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, would encourage the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises owned by Nigerians at home and abroad.
He said this just as the two countries began mechanisms to double trade between them within two years with the establishment of the Nigeria-Kenya Trade and Investment Council.
Already, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya has approved the issuance of five- to 10-year visas to genuine Nigerian businessmen without restriction. He announced the approval while closing the Nigeria-kenya Business Forum. He said, "One of my highest priorities as President of Kenya is to break various barriers against investment and trade among African nations. There is absolutely no reason why Africa should submit to poverty amidst so many opportunities.
The Kenyan President further said that, "People to people contact will solidify and encourage businesses, especially between our two countries. To allow this to happen and ensure that people travel with ease, without restriction, I have instructed my Cabinet Secretary on Interior to give five- 10-year visas to Nigeria businessmen without any restriction."
The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan urged Nigerians in Kenya to key into the DEP as a veritable means of ensuring that trade between both countries improved in favour of Nigeria, adding that Nigerian women in Kenya, who had complained of not being able to start businesses, should liaise with MITI on the steps to follow.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga said the objective of the Diaspora Export Programme was to "leverage on the presence of Nigerians living abroad, using their individual and collective advantage in these countries to advance the promotion of Nigeria's non-oil export."
According to him, the programme allows Nigerians in the Diaspora to organise themselves into groups or business associations, take advantage of trade and investment opportunities at home and export made-in-Nigeria products to their various countries of residence.
This, he noted, would provide a platform to enable quick and easy penetration of products and services of Nigerian origin into the global market while also making Nigerians resident abroad to have additional sources of income and become relevant both in their host and home countries.
Meanwhile, the private sectors of Nigeria and Kenya have mapped out strategies and put mechanisms in place to leverage on the competitive and comparative advantage of their countries for win-win trade and investment relationships.
Federal Republic Of Nigeria | nigeria.gov.ng
That is a very good initiative by President Ebele Goodluck Jonathan. It makes a lot of sense and do the world a lot of good cos it's global!