By Nkiruka Nnorom

The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its resolve to build robust partnerships with the Republic of Tunisia in energy, technology, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, education, and the creative sectors.

This is as it called on Tunisian investors to leverage the numerous investment opportunities in Nigeria to site their businesses in the country, saying that economic reforms under President Bola Tinubu had created opportunities for expanded investment, including partnerships with Tunisian businesses.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, stated this at the ongoing 8th Financing Investment and Trade in Africa (FITA) Conference 2025, organised by the Tunisia-Africa Business Council (TABC) in Tunis, the Tunisian capital.

In a statement signed by Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the minister, Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said that both countries can collaboratively chart a new course that would benefit their economies and strengthen Africa’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Represented by the Director, Foreign Service Reform and Innovation, Amb. Bolaji Akinremi, she affirmed the federal government’s commitment to actualising the Nigeria-Tunisia Joint Commission between September/October this year.

The joint commission was to be hosted by the Republic of Tunisia in 2020 but was unfortunately suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19, then.

The minister emphasised the urgent need to revive the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Tunisia, while also expressing Nigeria’s interest in finalising the signing of the agreement on Military Cooperation between both countries.

She further highlighted the need to accelerate the conclusion of the Visa-Free Agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.

She noted the numerous areas of trade possibilities between Nigeria and Tunisia and urged that the two countries deeply explore areas of technical and economic collaborations.

To deepen economic cooperation, she called for the establishment of a Nigeria-Tunisia Business Council.
She also called for the fast-tracking of technical cooperation between both countries in research and smart agriculture, Information Communication Technology, especially in fintech, innovation hubs, and digital literacy programmes.

The minister equally called for joint ventures in pharmaceutical manufacturing and renewable energy.
The minister emphasised the imperative of investment protection agreements and trade facilitation measures between the two countries.

According to her, Nigeria-Tunisia needed to collaborate to overcome the challenges impeding the full implementation of the AfCFTA.

At the sidelines of the conference tagged: “Investing in Nigeria,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted that Nigeria was not just ready for business but already doing business.

“Ease of doing business is what any investor looks for but Nigeria has a compelling environment for any investor that wants to come. I don’t know anywhere in the world where there are no challenges, but in Nigeria, the government is doing a lot to tackle these challenges. Investors are very well all over; they are repatriating their monies with ease.

“So, it’s not like previously where money could not be easily repatriated. This has been taken care of. We have an environment that incubates business, that makes it very easy for business to prosper and this is why when you come to Nigeria, you find out that everybody is feeling at home,” Akinremi said.

Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and MD/CEO of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, all highlighted the investment haven Nigeria had become at the moment.