The Rwandan Government says the country is safe for Nigerian investors willing to do business in the country saying that the environment is also conducive for businesses to thrive.
The Ambassador designate to Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad, Mr Christophe Bazivamo stated this during a visit to the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) in Enugu on Friday.
According to him, Rwanda is a safe country and investments are secured, the laws are clear and friendly for businesses.
“Rwanda is attractive for businesses; you can register and do your businesses online and our laws protect investors,” Bazivamo said.
The ambassador designate also disclosed that the country had granted visa free travel to Africans to boost movements of people and trade.
He stressed the need for African countries to come together like the European Union (EU) did to forge a common front and boost trade relations and developments.
“The Schengen zone, consisting of 27 European countries, has successfully eliminated the need for passports and various border control measures at their shared borders so why can’t Africa do same?”.
He said such measures would boost the African Continental Free Trade Areas (AFCFTA) established in 2018 to provide broader and economic integration across the continent.
Bazivamo said that Rwanda and Nigeria had an excellent partnership saying that the two countries had entered into a general cooperation agreement which was awaiting the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
He said that when completed, the public and private institutions would benefit from it.
While commending the ECCIMA for the warm reception, he pledged that the Rwandan Chamber of Commerce would partner with ECCIMA for exchange of business ideas for economic development.
The ambassador however, commended the Chief Executive Officer of the Fitconsult Company, Chief Loretta Aniagolu for investing in real estates in Kigali and also initiated the visits to the South East capital, Enugu.
In his response, the ECCIMA President, Mr Jasper Nduagwuike, thanked the Ambassador for the visit which he said would yield positive growth between the two countries.
Nduagwuike used the opportunity to invite Rwanda to participate in the forthcoming Enugu International Trade Fair holding in Enugu in April, 2024.
Earlier, the convener of the meeting and CEO, FitConsult, Chief Aniagolu encouraged Nigerians to invest in Rwanda.
According to her, Rwanda is an organised country with functional business system that would boost businesses.
Some members of the Organized Private Sector at the interactive session expressed fear that Igbo investors had always been dangerous species in some African countries.
They cited xenophobic attacks by South Africa and Ghana and hoped that Rwanda would protect them from such attacks.
