Iyefu Adoba
20 December 2003
Abuja — Trade turnover between Nigeria and Poland in 2002 stood at N15 billion, ($100 million) and 90 per cent of the trading was carried out by small and medium scale enterprises.
This was disclosed in Abuja by the Commercial Counselor of the Polish Embassy, Mr. Andrzej Kowalew at a workshop on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises organised by the Embassy.
Encouraging Nigerian businessmen to avail themselves of the business opportunities with Polish SME's, Kowalew said Polish small businesses are more "flexible and courageous and therefore better partners than conservative large companies."
Already 75 per cent of Polish companies have expressed their willingness to invest in Nigeria as soon as a stronger relationship is established between the two countries said Kowalew.
According to Kowalew, SME's are the backbone of most economies, and in Poland contributed nearly 50 per cent of the country's GDP in 2001.
Stating that different programmes supporting SME's in Poland would be funded by the Polish government, European Union and World Bank respectively to the tune of $1billion, Mr. Kowalew expressed optimism that if a stronger trade relationship is established between the two countries this would help to increase immensely the trade volume between Nigeria and Poland in the period 2004-2006.
"There are activities under way targeting the promotion of Polish companies and their products abroad as well as popularizing Polish achievements and experiences on the international forum. The financing sources for the tasks specified are derived from the national budget, Phare Programme and Structural Funds from the moment of Poland's accession to the European Union" said Kowalew.
Also speaking at the occasion, Senator Martyns-Yellowe, former Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology described the Poles as genuine friends of Nigeria who have expressed a desire to assist Nigeria in different sectors of the economy.
Senator Yellowe stating that it was time for Nigeria to make new friends urged the Nigerian government to strengthen bilateral relations with Poland.
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