UNIDO Headquarters
The organization also said it is set to partner the Ministry of Trade and Investment to establish a direction in the development of agri-business industry in the country.
UNIDO Country Representatives in Nigeria Patrick Kormawa made the remarks in Abuja when the visiting Deputy Director General of UNIDO, Tiazo Nishikwa met with the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom.
“We have been assisting this country with workable policies, because without policies, you cannot develop your industries. We have also helped in the area of institutional capacity building, which means, helping even the federal ministry of trade and investment to train people in specific areas that are necessary to support the implementation of those programmes. At the state level, we have implemented certain programmes to help the young people train in ICT and businesses who are now setting up their own businesses and employing people,” Kormawa said.
The organization said it is also assisting Nigeria in the area of small hydro, adding that greater attention should be placed on off grid energy for rural electrification.
The visiting Deputy Director General of UNIDO, Tiazo Nishikwa who is in the country to engage the organized privates sector and the governments on bilateral talks, said that it was important for Nigeria to diversify its economy.
“To do this, I think that it is important to diversify the industry and that is something that we could assist the government of Nigeria in particular in achieving. This is something we are currently doing with the ministry of trade and investment.”
He said it takes time, but “we have been collaborating in Nigeria since 1966, more than 40 years. We have gradually been seeing the results.” The Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom in his remarks said the government had commissioned experts to work with UNIDO on the draft agri-business policy for the consideration of the President.
“UNIDO is a partner with us in industrial development. Yesterday, through their relationship with us, we launched a book on agri-business. We are not just looking at Nigeria farming; we are also looking at agric as a business. This is one way that they can assist us technically with the knowledge and we are going to practicalize it,” he said.
