By: Victoria Ojugbana
The Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Sanna Selin, has called for the need for the citizens of the two countries to boost their people-to-people contacts, establish more trade contacts, as well as have more contacts in the field of culture and visits.
Selin made the call while speaking at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Ambassador’s Forum, titled: “Nigeria-Finland Relations,” organized by the NIIA in Lagos on Tuesday.
Ambassador Selin said that bringing the citizens of the two countries together will help them to better understand the potentials that they have, and what they can offer to each other.
While calling for an improved dialogue on the Nigeria-Finland foreign policy, the envoy stated: “We need more dialogue like I spoke about on foreign policy choices. Nowadays, even when you do not agree with somebody that you doesn’t have the same ideas with you, it’s still important to talk and exchange views because it’s only through that way that you can explain your mind and maybe have a second opinion about how it should be.”
She said that one of her major aims in Nigeria as an ambassador is to increase the trade relations with Nigeria, adding that “there is a lot of room for increasing trade in different fields between the two countries.”
While calling for cooperation in the field of digitalisation, which she said that Finland has started with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ambassador Selin said: “The cooperation is not only the trade, but it’s about the partnership in the administrative level. And I hope this type of cooperation could continue also in the future.”
Sanna, who said that Finland is a firm supporter for Nigeria to have a bigger voice in the United Nations decision-making structures, in the Security Council and beyond, added: “Definitely, this is something that we are emphasising in the multilateral cooperation what we have.”
Speaking on how Nigeria and Finland can achieve a trade balance, she urged the Nigerian government to have the free trade agreement with the European Union, adding: “It would be beneficial for both of us, because then, Nigeria would have a similar access to all EU countries at the same time. And then, it would also bring a lot of predictability concerns for our companies to start more investing here.”
Sanna stressed that, in the end, the move would benefit Nigerian citizens, adding: “You can then have a better choice, a bigger choice, not necessarily better, but a bigger choice of consumer goods.”
On the raw materials export, the envoy stated that Nigeria definitely needs more processing, and more industrialisation.
She called on the Nigerian government to implement policies made in the energy sector, adding: “I know that energy is a very serious issue, but I’m confident that this country could produce so many things.”
The envoy, who lamented the insecurity situation in Nigeria, said that Finland has some commercial technological solutions for border management.”
Also at the event, NIIA Director General, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, emphasized that it is necessary for Nigeria to emulate Finland in what it has done to become a better country.
He advised that Nigerians should “have high public trust, have very little corruption, have democracy that works for the people, universal health, universal education, have security, have stability, and so on,” in order to become a better country.
He said that Finland has been able to assist Nigeria in the fintech sector.
He said that Finland has been a close friend of the Lagos State House of Assembly, adding that the citizens have been rated as the happiest people in the world.
