…stakeholders seek extended visa
The Nigerian government has been urged to put in place machinery to ensure that only products of good quality are imported from China into Nigeria.
Dr Faruk Umar, President, Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders, said this can be done by follow-through agreements between Nigeria and China to emphasise importation of high quality products.
This follows a preponderance of low quality imports into Nigeria from China over the years, despite the obvious capacity of that country to produce good quality ware.
Meanwhile, Chinese officials announced in January that the trade volume between Nigeria and China increased to about $26bn in 2022.
Umar said “most countries ensure that products that are being imported are of high quality but it is not same in Nigeria.
“So, I hope the incoming government will work hard to ensure all these things are fixed, as well as fight corruption and find solution to poor electricity supply and many others.”
Umar and other stakeholders further urged the People’s Republic of China to extend its visa validity for Nigerians.
The stakeholders made the appeal on the sidelines of the China-Nigeria Investment Economic and Trade Promotion Conference in Abuja on Thursday.
They said a visa extension would boost trade relationship between Nigeria and China.
Umar, who represented the Arewa Consultative Forum at the conference as a non-executive director, said a visa extension for Nigerians doing business in China,”will deepen trade relationship between the two countries.
“Many countries are now increasing the number of years’ visa they give to Nigerians.
“So, I am appealing to the Chinese Government to give five or ten years visa to Nigerians because a one-year visa is discouraging.”
On importation of products, Umar said China had helped boost micro businesses in Nigeria.
He, however, observed that it was important for China to help Nigeria develop its rich human and natural resources rather than concentrating on export.
“We are happy that China is signing Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with companies in Nigeria.
“However, I suggest the MoUs dwell more on how Nigeria can leverage on China’s strength to learn how to make good use of its resources.
“For instance they should help solve the problem of electricity.
“Also, our copper, hides and skin are among the best in the world.
“So, rather than exporting them in their raw forms, machineries should be put in place as part of bilateral agreement to have them processed in Nigeria,”he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that from Jan. 8, China began to take COVID-19 as a Class-B infectious disease and adopted provisional measures on cross-border travel. Arrangements have been further optimised for foreign nationals traveling to China.
Multi-year multi-entry visas issued before March 26, 2020 by the Chinese government are still suspended of use, mainly because many of them are tourist visas.
The Chinese government said it will continue to adjust measures according to the pandemic situation and facilitate the recovery of international people-to-people exchange.
As part of plans to increase Nigeria’s non-oil export, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, appointed Zeenab Foods Limited to set up and operate the Nigerian Export Trade House China/Far-East region.
The objective was to increase the volume of export to China and other countries in the far-east region through sensitising, converting, training, guiding and the off-taking of agricultural commodities.
Ginger, sesame seeds and other agro-commodities were loaded in 20 containers (40-feet each), at the plant of Zeenab Foods in Abuja, from where they were moved to the Ports for export to China.
