Botswana is ready to absorb Nigeria’s entrepreneurial and resilient spirit, says Envoy

Botswana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Philda Nani Kereng, has sought to improve bilateral relations with Nigeria, saying her country is ready to learn from Nigeria.

Kereng, who spoke on Monday evening in Abuja to mark the 58th anniversary of his country’s independence, said he would work to ensure active projects between the two countries.

The envoy said his people want to learn the spirit of entrepreneurship and resilience that makes Nigerians excel wherever they are.

He said: “Nigeria is a very, very critical partner for us. We have had a relationship with Nigeria for a long time, but this time we want active projects, tangible projects, tangible business collaborations that will see our people trading together, that will see our government trading together, that will see us come together to drive the growth of the African continent thanks to the strength both countries have at their disposal.”

The envoy said Botswana has special respect for Nigeria, saying: “This is a country where we have seen a lot of progress in terms of enterprise, trade and the spirit of enterprise of Nigerians. These people, when they want to do business, give their all. They reach all goals and go against all odds to achieve their intentions.

“We have seen and learned from Nigerians that the entrepreneurial mindset is something Botswana wants to learn from. Our people, the government, does so much to support small businesses, micro businesses, enterprises, youth, women and so on.

“But we want to connect more so we can learn from you how to do this business, how to venture into the global space, how to apply technology in commercial markets and how to venture into the world.

“We are also looking at the Nigerian creative sector which is so vibrant. We have talented young people who are not working but want to be developed so that they can enter the film industry, fashion industry, food industry, culinary arts, acting, arts, music and all because Nigeria lives in that space.”

The envoy, who has been in Nigeria for just four months, said her main task in Nigeria is to promote better trade and commerce relations between the two countries.

According to her: “I’m here to make these connections. As I celebrate, I know I’m celebrating some important milestones because I’ve already started talking to critical stakeholders. On Monday last week we had a working meeting with business stakeholders, providing them with information on investment opportunities in Botswana. And together we have united one spirit to say that we can work together as two countries.

“Ultimately, we are using tangible projects, trade connections and advancements for the people of Nigeria and Botswana to ensure that trade relationships and business facilitation are made easy for us because we want to benefit both of us.”

Speaking about the areas of interest, the envoy said that currently trade between the two countries is secondary and still very small, “But, you know, we are looking for opportunities where we can get more products from here, especially natural ones. , you know, how you make cosmetics and things like that, fabrics and so on.

“We also want to trade on skills and capabilities. So there’s not much we’re doing together in terms of import and export volumes, but we’re here to cultivate what we’ve seen is great potential.”

On the other hand, he said Nigeria can learn from his country in the agriculture sector, especially animal husbandry.

“Those in the agricultural sector, Botswana’s history of beef production and livestock farming is very powerful. For decades we have been exporting the best beef to the European market. So we want to teach you how to do animal husbandry and produce quality beef, because here, sorry, I can’t eat the meat because I’ve tasted the best.

“So we want to collaborate for the beef development sector. But Nigeria can also invest in Botswana to do training and create academies for creatives and also bring their products to Botswana. But the most important thing, or even more important, is to travel to Botswana as a tourist.”

He emphasized that “We believe that cultural exchange is a powerful tool for building bridges between nations. By sharing our customs, traditions and values, we can deepen our understanding and appreciation of each other.

“As we move forward, we will continue to promote people-to-people diplomacy, fostering greater understanding and cooperation. We believe that the ties between Botswana and Nigeria will grow stronger with each passing day.”

Post-Western Botswana is ready to absorb Nigeria’s entrepreneurial and resilient spirit, says Envoy, which first appeared on TheConclaveNg.