Saraki, Saudi Envoy Seek Closer Economic Ties
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Nigeria’s Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, Fahad Sefyan, have pledged to work towards deepening the economic ties between both countries.
The duo made the pledge when the Ambassador visited the Senate President in his office at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The Senate President while welcoming the envoy, noted the existing “very good relationship” between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.
According to him, the existing cordial relationship is being strengthened by Nigeria whose citizens yearly embark on business and religious trips to the Middle East country.
He said, “This is based on culture, religion and many things and I think we want to continue building on that relationship. We continue to treasure this beneficial exchange. What remains is for us to have robust, thriving mutually beneficial business and investment-related exchange”.
The Senate President stated that the desire to improve on the relationship has become necessary in view of the election of President Muhammadu Buhari and emergence of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as leaders of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia respectively.
He said both Buhari and King Al Saud have great desire to improve economic relationship between both countries.
“I want to assure you on behalf of the Senate and the Senators here that Nigeria highly appreciates the relationship with the Kingdom and also to urge you to pass our best wishes to King Salman. I want to assure you that we will continue to build on the strong points of the existing relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia”, Saraki said.
At the meeting, Dr Saraki listed oil and gas, infrastructure development and agriculture as areas of the Nigerian economy where Saudi Arabia investors can take advantage of.
Saraki added: “I know when I was a Governor, I visited the Kingdom to look at its milk production and to see how the experience can be brought to Nigeria to help us. There are a lot of opportunities I see there and I believe once we can develop a more robust relationship, a lot of things will happen.”
Earlier, Sefyan said he was in Nigeria to further enhance the relationship between both countries and that the Nigerian government and people can count on Saudi Arabia to partner with them in rebuilding the economy of the country.