By Favour Nnabugwu

Lack of information by Nigerian businessmen and women has stalled their access to €2billion (N435.9 billion) loan earmarked for them by the Eximbank in Turkey.
Out of  the €2 billion in the Turkey bank, €400million (N87.2 billion) which was set aside for Nigerians with viable business proposals to access in 2013 is still in the vault of the eximbank till now.

Executive Chairman of Nigeria-Turkey Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Dr Eze Hyacinth at a press briefing in Abuja weekend, announcing the business forum of the chamber being organised in collaboration with Tumsiad Industrial and Businessmen Association, Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, MÜS0AD and KONYA, coming up in Ankara, Turkey between March 23 to 29, 2013, said Nigerian businessmen and women are yet to access the eximbank loan to Nigerians.

He said prospective and genuine participants for the forum should go through the chambers for support while those that wish to access the single digit loan from eximbank in Turkey should forward their business proposals to the chambers.

Participants expected at the one-week forum include state governors, trade associations, companies and business people who have keen interests in agriculture, mining, education, infrastructure development, construction, ICT sectors etc.

Nigerian top notches billed to attend the forum include Gombe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo; Bayelsa’s Seriake Dickson and Akwa Ibom’s Chief Godswill Akpabio while notable associations include Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN; Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC; Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN; Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC and Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, among others.

Though, Nigerians that desire the loan must have a Turkish technical business partner and all the facilities required for the business for which the loan is sought for, must be bought in Turkey before leaving for their home country to set up the business.

“There is no limit to the amount to be accessed by Nigerian businessmen. It depends on the scope of his business plan. You must have a Turkish technical partner that stands as a guarantee of the money because that technical partner will liaise between the Nigerian partner and his local bank namely: Access and Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB and the Eximbank

“Once the Eximbank releases the money to the Nigerian bank, The Turkey bank no longer has control over the money released through the local bank hence the local bank can decide on the digits of interest they want to release the money to, to the end user”.

Hycinth explained, “When you say accessing loans it is not just an open loan where you can just collect and start doing buying and selling, you must pass through the due process; who are you? And what business plans do you have? How do you intend to partner with the Turkey people? What do you want to buy in Turkey? This is because they want something that will benefit both Turkey and Nigeria at the same time not just coming to access the money in their country and use the money to do your business and send to China and Yugoslavia.”

“The chamber does not force people they help in processing their business plans to join the chamber.
“No. We don’t want to force anyone to become a member of the chamber because becoming a member of the chamber is not for free, so we don’t want people to accuse the chamber of ripping them.”

He said that the chamber helps with the visa process as long as a participant pays $6,000 for the flight ticket, accommodation and transport, adding that a Nigerian who already has Shanghai, American and British Visa can go to Turkey but through Turkey airline.