Mr Uche Udungwor,DG, Nigeria/Slovenia Chamber of Commerce and Hon. Chukwunenye Obiesie, Fmr SA to Governor of Imo State (m) and other members and partners of the Chamber during the business Breakfast on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at TFC, Festac, Lagos.
By Cyriacus Nnaji
With an official Gross Domestic Product as at end of 2023 standing at $68.23 billion and per Capita income of $32,350, doing business with Slovenia, a country with a population of 2.1 million is an investment worth doing.
Slovenia with agenda tagged “Go Africa Project” being promoted through the Ministry of Economy and Spirit of Slovenia, a Public Agency for Investment, Entrepreneurship and internationalization, Slovenia is looking towards forging partnerships with Nigerian businessmen, entrepreneurs and investors for the purpose of expanding the economic horizon of both countries.
The above revelations were made at a Nigeria/Slovenia Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Business Forum which has the theme, “Slovenia, Your Business Partner” and held at TFC Place, Festac Town, Lagos State on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
Director-General, Slovenia/Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Mr Uche Udungwor, while welcoming members of the Chamber and partners to the Forum, urged Nigerian business community to explore the opportunity of the forthcoming First Nigeria Business Delegation to Slovenia, during the AGRA EXPO 2025.
Speaking about the plan to lead a business delegation to Slovenia during the AGRA EXPO in Slovenia, he said “Let me inform you that we are planning for the first Nigeria Business Delegation to Slovenia, during the 2025 AGRA EXPO.”
He encouraged Nigerians to leverage this window to expand and extend their businesses to Europe.
“Nigeria Business community, entrepreneurs and investors are encouraged to leverage on the opportunity presented by the AGRA EXPO to showcase their businesses.”
Speaking on the AGRA EXPO, Udungwor said, “AGRA is one of the biggest EXPOs in Slovenia, I will tell you that it will be a very veritable platform for Nigerian businessmen and women, and companies to showcase their businesses and of course, broaden their business frontiers. Business of today, most times, if you don’t have that international leverage you may not going to go too far. And because business of today is global, it is important that businessmen also go global.”
He stated that the objective of every businessman, apart from making profit is to blossom, adding that AGRA EXPO will give opportunities for new business people to expand their own business and then to advertise themselves.
Speaking on how the chamber can collaborate with Nigerian businessmen especially those at the Alaba International market, Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market, he said, “Very shortly we would set machinery in motion to advertise this event, very shortly too I will have meetings with leadership of these business interests you have talked about. You see, apart from getting something from Slovenia, our idea is to promote Nigeria over there. Already we have understanding with them, we will liaise with Nigeria Export Promotion Council, even with some of the chambers of commerce, it will be a very broad event. So apart from what they will get from Slovenia, the idea again is for Nigeria Business community to introduce their business interests to Slovenia so that in the end it will be a win win affair.”
On the purpose of the breakfast Forum he said, “It was born out of the request and eagerness from companies and business people from Slovenia who have developed strong interest in Nigeria. They consider Nigeria as a very big potential business friend and the ideal is the eagerness to pursue the Go Africa Initiative, which they have Nigeria as number one.
“They now want strong interaction and strong interface which we believe will metamorphose into having strong business relationship that would be of mutual benefits to both countries. So the essence of the day’s meeting, once again, is to have a relationship between Nigeria and Slovenia in the area of business, economy and trade,” Udungwor revealed.
Udungwor said it is of great interest to mention that Slovenia currently has an agenda tagged “Go Africa Project”, being promoted through the Ministry of Economy and Spirit Slovenia, A public Agency for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Internationalization. “Slovenia is looking towards forging some partnerships with Nigerian businessmen, entrepreneurs, investors etc, for the purpose of expanding the economic horizon of both countries.
“In view of the Go Africa Project, Slovenian businessmen have considered Nigeria as a potential trade partner in the following following sectors: Machineries/Equipment, Engineering and Construction, Agro and Allied, Pharmaceuticals, Mining, ICT, Education, Renewable Energy, Auto/Industrial parts, Electrical/Home Appliances, and many other business interests.
“The Nigeria-Slovenia Chamber of Commerce is here to guide and facilitate the process for a mutually rewarding economic relationship,” he said.
He said Slovenia is a country in the central Europe with a population of about 2.1 million with a thriving economy. “It is a member of European Union, since 2004 and later joined the Shengen Group in 2007. It also enjoys membership of the Organisation for economic Cooperation and Development — OECD.
“With its strong, stable and viable economy and democracy, its low-risk business outlook makes it an economic hub within the region thereby representing a bridge between the Balkan, Central Europe and the Western European countries,” Udungwor stated.
