Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Now Tied to FDI


Nigeria’s foreign policy is now tied to its most urgent need, foreign direct investment (FDI), Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Olugbenga Ashiru, has said.

Addressing journalists at the end of the present administration’s first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja Wednesday, Ashiru said under the new policy thrust, future overseas travels of President Goodluck Jonathan would be viewed from the standpoint of attracting investments as well as exposing Nigerian businessmen to foreign opportunities.


He argued that since the country successfully conducted the April general election, there had been renewed interests especially by the European Union (EU) who had been on missions to enhance trade and economic interests of their countries.


The minister further said that every country was now looking for rewarding partnerships; a situation, which he explained, informed British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, to visit Nigeria two days ago and some other African countries with about 50 investors.


“The election has conferred legitimacy on the president and accounts for the diplomatic interest of the European Union. Cameron pledged £50 million for the eradication of polio and malaria apart from other things he pledged to the country.

“The German Chancellor Angela Merkel also visited last week and investment and economic issues dominated the discussions during their visits,” he said.


According to him, foreign visits of Jonathan would henceforth be investment-driven and less of politics, while Nigerian embassies in Europe, Asia and America have been directed to refocus on these areas in order to get the best for the country from direct foreign investments.

“Our embassies abroad especially in Europe, America and Asia are to focus more on investment policy to our domestic agenda. We now tie our foreign policy to our domestic agenda. President Jonathan’s visit to other countries will be investment-driven and less of politics,” he said.


Speaking earlier, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said the president charged the ministers to go back to their ministries and ensure that they direct their energies towards the realisation of the policies of the government and the campaign promises he (Jonathan) made prior to the elections.


Maku also said the president asked them (ministers) to be hardworking and innovative in thinking and in the execution of policies to achieve the best results.

According to him, though there were no memos on contracts, deliberations were on how to adopt new policy initiatives that would rekindle development and impact positively on the lives of Nigerians, adding that unless the average citizen felt the impact of government policies, they would be of no use.


He also said the ministers in the new cabinet would be assessed based on some variables already made public and based on policy executions under their ministries.

He added that the measurement and evaluation would be used to determine performances on deliverable indicators.


Maku pleaded with the newsmen to report positively on the image of the country, pointing out that even when very sensitive news items break in other countries, the journalists there manage them in a better way that no damages to the image of their countries are incurred.


He announced the creation of a new ministry - Ministry of Communication Technology – from the former Ministry of Communication and Information.

He also explained that the Ministry of Science and Technology was not affected by the restructuring; “so it still remains the same”.


On the suspended labour strike, the minister said the administration was able to reach a compromise with the labour leaders when it was agreed that government would pay the new minimum wage across board, but added that the payment would start in August, while both sides would use between now and the end of this month to arrive at concrete terms of the implementable agreements.


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Good. The more investment the better!