Poland in Nigeria

On 10-12 September this year, the first Polish-Nigerian Economic Forum was held in Lagos, organized by the Foreign Trade Office of PAIH in Lagos (the main organizer of the event) in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Abuja. On the Nigerian side, the participation of the highest authorities of the Lagos Regional Government, the former capital of the country and its economic centre of a supra-regional character, has been ensured – the metropolis of Lagos generates about 1/3 of the economic turnover of the whole of Nigeria. In addition to the Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the main part of the Forum on 11 September was attended by Deputy Governor Kadri O. Hamzat, Executive Secretary of the State Government B. Salu-Hundeyin, State Commissioners for Trade and Investment, Innovation and Technology, representatives of the Federal Government, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and business circles, numerous invited experts and journalists. On the Polish side, the event was attended, i.a. by representatives of the Polish Embassy and the President of PAIH, the President of the Management Board of KUKE, representatives of the management of BGK, professors of leading Polish universities and representatives of companies (a total of about 20 Polish entities). The Forum consisted of the following components: B2B meetings, the Forum itself (4 thematic panels: on the economic development of Polish and Nigeria, financial instruments of support for business, cybersecurity and the role of new technologies and innovations in the modern economy), as well as follow-up visits aimed at supporting selected business entities in their contacts with Nigerian counterparts. During the event, there was also an exhibition of Polish companies selected by PAIH, which presented their portfolios with pre-invited high-level guests. Finally, the Forum saw the ceremonial signing of the MoU on cooperation between the organization of Polish employers Employers of Poland and the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lagos.