By Akanimo Sampson
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, says in the last two years, the volume of trade between Nigeria and South Korea has dropped by 74 percent.
According to the minister, the volume of trade between the two countries dropped from $5 million in 2018 to $1.3 million in 2019.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his media aide, Ifedayo Sayo, the minister frowned at the development and called for improvements.
Adebayo, who expressed concern over the decrease in the volume of trade between the two countries, made the call while playing host to the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae.
“The Minister noted that the volume of trade between the two countries went down from $5m in 2018 to $1.3m in 2019”, the statement states, pointing out that Nigeria and South Korea shared strong economic and investment ties with over 20 Korean companies presently operating in Nigeria.
While naming some of the companies to include Samsung and Hyundai Heavy Industries, Adebayo stressed the need for the South Korean Embassy, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his ministry to work closely towards improving the volume of trade between the two countries.
He called on Korean investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s involvement in the African Continental Free Trade Zone to invest in Nigeria so that they would have access to the large market on the continent.
Adebayo also told his visitors to encourage investors from South Korea to invest in the new special economic zones established by the ministry in each of the six geographical zones across the country.
The Korean Ambassador promised to deepen the trade relations between the two countries and assured the Minister of giving support to the government’s programmes.
