#Nigeria, #Pakistan Aim To Boost Bilateral Trade To US$1 Billion





Nigeria and Pakistan have signed a number of agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade from less than US$100 million at present to US$1.0 billion within the next five years.

The deals were concluded here Tuesday at a bilateral discussion between President Goodluck Jonathan and Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain who is on a three-day state visit to Nigeria.

Jonathan said the agreements covered cooperation in the agriculture, industrial and cultural sectors.

"We are now out to encourage more robust visits at the highest level. We have discussed a number of things and issues and will continue to discuss more as we meet with the business community," he said.

According to Jonathan, other areas in the agreement include trade and commerce, narcotics, anti-terrorism and security, poverty reduction and human capacity development.

Describing the current trade volume between both countries as extremely low, Jonathan said that Nigeria and Pakistan were committed to doubling it in the next few years.

Jonathan also described Hussain's visit as "historic and extremely important to Nigeria" as it was the first official visit by a Pakistani president.

"Just like Nigeria is suffering from terror attacks, Pakistan is also experiencing terror attacks. Pakistan and Nigeria have been relating extremely well from the period of our independence, because Pakistan gained independence earlier than Nigeria," he said.

"Pakistan has been relating very well with a number of African countries, they are members of so many international bodies, the United Nations, the Commonwealth, D8 (group of eight developing countries with large Muslim populations)," he said.

Jonathan said he will soon pay a state visit to Nigeria to deepen relations between both countries.

-- BERNAMA-NNN-NAN

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