Just In: Strengthening Bilateral Ties Through Technology Transfer and Local Production Partnerships
Yesterday, I received the delegation of European parliamentarians under the First Step Forum, led by Marc Jost, who paid a courtesy visit to my office in Abuja. This engagement was aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and fostering collaboration on common global challenges.
In this strategic engagement, I reiterated my call for increased technology transfer and local production partnerships with European countries as a pathway to harness Nigeria’s abundant raw materials, while creating jobs for our growing youth population.
As I have always advocated, the concept of “near-shoring” has the potential to transform our economic realities by relocating technology, finance, and industrial capacity closer to the source of raw materials. Rather than exporting primary resources in their raw form, we must prioritize value addition within our borders.
Nigeria must transition from being merely a supplier of commodities such as cocoa and lithium to becoming a hub for finished goods production. Our cocoa should power thriving chocolate industries, just as our lithium deposits should position us at the forefront of battery production in the global shift toward clean energy.
This model is not only critical for industrial growth but also for sustainable job creation and addressing irregular migration by expanding opportunities at home.
I look forward to strategic collaborations from this visit as we unlock our full economic potential and build a future that truly works for all.
~ Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu
