President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the government of Saudi Arabia to do everything possible to ease and facilitate the annual participation of Nigerian pilgrims in the Hajj.

Jonathan made the call at the State House in Abuja yesterday while speaking at an audience with the Saudi Arabian new ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Fuad Bin Adul-Aziz Rajih, after receiving his letter of credence.

He urged the envoy to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to reduce or completely remove hitches and grey areas occasionally hindering the airlifting of pilgrims to the Holy Land.

The president noted that Nigerians are a very religious people who take their religious obligations seriously, assuring that the federal government would appreciate the envoy's cooperation and support in making hitch-free, the participation of Nigerian Muslims in the Hajj.

Earlier at audience with the new Ugandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Kagimu Kiwanuka, Jonathan said African nations must make greater efforts to boost formal economic and trade relations amongst themselves.

According to him, Nigeria is committed to making trade among African nations less cumbersome and will work with Uganda and other members of the African Union (AU) to achieve this objective.

The president also received the new Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mr. Jong Yong Chol and assured him of the federal government's support and cooperation during his tenure in Abuja.

Jonathan, who later received the outgoing Ambassador of Kuwait, Mr. Saad Al-Asousi, commended him for his efforts towards strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and Kuwait in the past four years and assured him that Nigeria will continue to work closely with Kuwait at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other international fora.