May 29: We’ll work with Nigeria’s incoming administration — Dutch Govt

…Demand appointment of economic sensitive Ministers

…Says it is on course of empowering Nigerian youths, strengthen political-economic engagement

By Moses Adeniyi

The Government of the Kingdom of Netherlands has declared its readiness to work with and sustain harmonious relationship with the incoming administration in Nigeria which would be inaugurated on 29th May.

The Dutch Government said as it had done with previous administrations of the largest populated African country, it is positively disposed to work with the new government which in about a week would be inaugurated.

The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Wouter Plomp, told Nigerian NewsDirect that the Dutch Government is working to improve on and strengthen both political and business collaboration with Nigeria, pledging the Dutch Government would further improve engagement with the incoming administration as the Country plans towards the swearing-in of President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Plomp who described as “flourishing” the relationship between Nigeria and the Netherlands, mentioned that the recent bilateral business forum and political consultations between both governments testify to the growing relationship.

“We are very much looking forward to work with the new government like we have worked with the old government because we believe in a shared future for the Netherlands and Nigeria. We believe in partnership. I believe Nigeria and the Netherlands have a lot to learn from each other: We can learn from Nigeria and Nigeria can learn from us in agriculture, in food processing, so we want to work together,” he said.

“We have a very broad and excellent relationship between the Netherlands and Nigeria. It goes back to the independence of Nigeria and we have a broad relationship on governance and also very much with the private sector. We have been doing business – Netherlands companies with Nigerian companies – for a very long time and also we have many ties between NGOs and of course the civil societies,” Plomp added.

On the threshold of Dutch investment in Nigeria, Plomp said the Netherlands of all European Union Countries is a leading investor in Nigeria, mentioning that “we are a considerably important partner to Nigeria and Nigeria is very important to the Netherlands.”

On the occasion of the Netherlands maiden 2023 Kings Day, Plomp told Nigerian NewsDirect that it is “the most important social event of the year in the Netherlands” celebrated in all Countries where the Dutch Government is represented with embassies.

This is just as the Dutch Government has urged the incoming government to have at heart implementation of policies that would further make environment more conducive for businesses to thrive.  In this regard, the Consul General of the Netherlands to Lagos, Michel Deelen, told Nigerian NewsDirect that the Dutch Government expect those who would be appointed to key ministerial positions to have at heart addressing issues bordering on revamping the economy for the business environment to be favourable for both local and foreign companies to operate more lively.

“Whoever will be appointed as Ministers, I hope their economic policies will be such that will be beneficial to companies and the Nigerian public at large because we’ve seen our difficulties; there’s no money, no cash, that’s strange and its very difficult to find foreign currency to buy stuffs for your factory. So, whoever will be the new ministers of trade or finance, I hope they will have the best of the Nigerian economy at large and would want to make it easier for Nigerians to do business,” Deelen said.

Asked on the experiences of Dutch companies doing businesses in Nigeria, he simply answered, “it is the same experience as the Nigerian companies.”

According to him, the Dutch Government is ensuring Dutch based investment is improving and expanding its share in the Nigerian market  with focus on the healthcare, the Information Communications and Technology and Agriculture sectors.

He disclosed the Government has opened with Access Bank a Dutch Desk to assist and facilitate processes of “companies that want to do business from the Netherlands with Nigeria,” as well as Nigerian companies eyeing businesses in the Netherlands.

“We have the Dutch Desk. We do it together with Access Bank and an organisation in the Netherlands called Investment International, a Dutch Government entity that helps Dutch companies invest abroad and so Dutch companies that want to do business in Nigeria and the Nigerian companies that want to do business with Dutch companies, can go to that Dutch Desk at Access Bank and be advised with all kinds of financial possibilities,” he said.

He mentioned that the Dutch Consulate has finalised a study on data collection on the health care sector and business opportunities in Nigeria’s health sector, stating “it shows opportunities for private sector to engage in the health care sector.”

“So, we are trying to see to bring in Dutch companies to be active there,” Deelen said.

“We are moving in the right direction,” he said mentioning the Government is aimed at establishing a youth advisory council which is a council of Nigerian youths that would advise the Dutch Embassy and the Dutch Consulate “on our policies and how we can do better and which direction we can go and I’m really looking forward to the interaction with them.”

He disclosed that the Government is “further stepping up to train young Nigerians on computer programmes,” stating that the Government has focused much on business incubation plans for youths in the Country.

“Clearly looking at the population of Nigeria, it’s the youth that we are focusing sincerely,” he said.

“We have an incubator Orange Corners, it’s managed by Fate Foundation. We assist young Nigerians in improving their businesses and developing their business plans and we have about two or three groups a year, and in a group we have about 20 entrepreneurs but we have more than a thousand applications,” he said.

Recently, a business forum organised in Hague by the  Ambassador Eniola Ajayi led Nigerian Embassy in Hague, Netherlands, last month 20th of April, had about 60 Nigerian based businesses who went to explore business opportunities.

Plomp described the event as about the biggest match making business forum between both countries, “exploring Dutch market for Nigerians companies, and exploring the Nigerian market for Dutch companies.”

The Business forum was later trailed with a  Political Bilateral Consultations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on stronger cooperation between the Netherlands and Nigeria, while expected in June is an another consultation on stronger economic cooperation between the duo.