Nigeria to boost economic partnership with 8 African countries

The Nigerian government has concluded plans to promote economic partnership with eight African countries through the signing of visa-free pacts with them, Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said on Wednesday.

When the visa-free pact is signed soon, it will create an upsurge in economic activities among African countries and Nigeria, the FM told reporters in Abuja.

According to Onyeama, who did not disclose the names of countries making up the bloc, the Nigerian government took this decision particularly to address the very low partnership among African countries in terms of trade.

"Africa is the centerpiece of our foreign policy but it is a paradox that as a Nigerian, you cannot go to an African country without a visa unlike what is obtainable in Western Europe," he said.

The Nigerian official said the new initiative is expected to be fruitful within a year, following which other countries may want to join.

"We believe this is a better way to go than institutional ECOWAS and so on, as countries take so long to ratify agreements," he added. Endit