Switzerland woos more companies to Nigeria

The Consul-General of Switzerland, in Lagos, Yves Nicolet, has said that a ‘Nigerian Week’ was recently held in three cantons in Switzerland, to woo more Swiss companies to Nigeria.
Nicolet made the disclosure, in Lagos, that the week was held differently, in Switzerland’s Italian, French and German–speaking cantons, to expose Nigeria’s businesses and investment opportunities to them.
He said that the Nigerian Week, which attracted between 40 to 50 new companies in the various cantons, was also attended by Swiss companies already ‘doing well’ in Nigeria.
“We recently organised a Nigerian Week in different Switzerland’s Italian, French and German-speaking cantons, to expose the huge businesses and investment opportunities in Nigeria to new companies.
“During this week, we were able to interact with these new companies in different sectors on the existing business and investment potential for them in Nigeria.
“What this means is that we really want more of these Swiss companies to come and take advantage of the huge opportunities in Nigeria,’’ he said.
Nicolet said that the invited Swiss companies were from agriculture, healthcare, information technology, banking, construction, mining, oil and gas sectors, pharmaceuticals, food processing, insurance and many others.
Nicolet said that there was also a plan to organise another delegation of Swiss companies visit to Nigeria in 2018, as a follow-up to the outcome of the Nigerian Week in the three cantons.
Switzerland was the first country to return to Nigeria assets embezzled by the former dictator Sani Abacha and his family. The sum totalled USD 700m. The Swiss financial centre has an interest not to become a safe haven for illicitly acquired assets.