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Issue N° 15 – April 2011
The Swiss Gazette
4 / 11
Fertilizers, Dyes, Pigments (13%) � also experienced impressive growth in 2010.
In 2010, Nigeria was the fifth most important destination for Swiss exports to Africa (behind South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco), absorbing 8% of Swiss exports to the continent. On the other hand, Nigeria retained its position as the third most important African exporter to Switzerland(after South Africa and Libya), supplying 12% of Swiss imports from this part of the world.
Inauguration of new Nestlé Production Facility: Swiss Ambassador announces sponsorship programme for vocational
training
On February 3, 2011, Nestlé, the world�s leading nutrition, health and wellness company, inaugurated its new 12 billion NGN (CHF 87 million) state-of-the-art Flowergate production facility at Sagamu in Ogun State. The Flowergate Factory, Nestlé�s 27
th in
Africa, is key to Nestlé�s growth ambition in Nigeria, and in Africa as a whole, and will be initially dedicated to the production of MAGGI products. The ceremony took place in the presence of Nigerian Vice President Namadi Sambo, Ogun State Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Nestlé Chief Executive Paul Bulcke.
Nestlé Chief Executive Paul Bulcke, Nigerian Vice President Namadi Sambo and Ogun State Governor
Otunba Gbenga Daniel (from left to right) at the opening ceremony
On this occasion, Swiss Ambassador Andreas Baum announced the launch of a pioneering partnership in the field of vocational training. For more information, please refer to the Ambassador�s speech, reproduced below.
It is a great honour for me, as the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, to take part in the formal inau-
guration of this new facility, the Flowergate Factory here in Ogun State. On behalf of the government and people of Switzerland, I heartily congratulate Nestlé on this historic occasion. With this state-of-the-art complex, Nigeria�s manufacturing industry is attracting more significant direct foreign investment than ever before. Together with the Nigerian government�s push towards increasing the sector�s share of GDP, that makes several positive indicators for the future of manufacturing in this country.
The important contributions of Nestlé to the economic development of Nigeria and its leadership in nutrition, health and wellness, particularly in the food and beverage sector, are well known. However, beyond that, Nestlé also creates shared value for the society, through the provision of technical education to young Nigerians, thus enabling them to contribute towards the technological advancement of the country.
In this context, I am pleased to announce another milestone in Swiss-Nigerian relations: Switzerland and Nigeria will formally conclude a Migration Partnership on February 14, 2011, during the planned visit by the Nigerian Foreign Minister, H.E. Henry Odein Ajumogobia, to Berne. The Memorandum of Under-standing on a migration partnership has a pioneering character, which will bring cooperation between Switzerland and Nigeria to a new level. Designed to acknowledge both the opportunities and challenges of migration, the partnership is the first such agreement between Switzerland and an African country.
During the negotiations, it became clear that both the Nigerian and Swiss partners were aware that capacity building � including in the field of training and education � should be an area of joint cooperation. The Swiss Embassy looked into private initiatives and training projects by business operators � and found Nestlé Nigeria�s Technical Training Center in the Agbara Factory an excellent opportunity to build upon. It targets at developing young people and contributing towards the development of science and technology in the Nigerian society.
I am therefore happy to make a formal announcement today. Switzerland has decided to establish a scholarship for five students annually at the new Nestlé Nigeria Technical Training Centre. This sponsorship will provide vocational training in the field of Electro-Mechanical-Automation Enginee-ring. Furthermore, the five best students from each promotion will have the opportunity to par-ticipate in an additional training module of several months in Switzerland, in the framework of the training programmes of Nestlé�s headquarters.
Issue N° 15 – April 2011
The Swiss Gazette
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This sponsorship is one of the key outcomes of the exploratory talks the Embassy initiated with Swiss companies operating in Nigeria, aimed at identifying pilot opportunities in relation to vocational training for a selected number of Nigerian youth. We are convinced that there will be further opportunities to work with Swiss businesses, thus filling the migration partnership with life. Let me here pay tribute to Nestlé�s openness and dynamism, which made the first such cooperation possible.
Not many Swiss people know that Nestlé itself is a real migration success story! Nestlé is originally the name of a very innovative man, born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1814, who moved south in his twenties, searching for greener pastures, and who, later on, invented condensed milk. In Switzerland, he under-went a four year apprenticeship as a pharmacist and settled down in the French speaking part of my coun-try. He changed his name slightly in order to fit in perfectly into his new environment and founded the company that is today one of the largest food and nutrition companies in the world.
In closing, on behalf of the government and people of Switzerland, let me wish Nestlé Nigeria and its beautiful new factory continued success. Thank you.
Nestlé�s Flowergate Plant, at Sagamu, Ogun State
Call for further ideas in the field of training and capacity building
Under the umbrella of the migration partnership between the two countries, Switzerland is looking for further opportunities to engage in cooperation with the private sector in Nigeria and Switzerland in order to support training possibilities and capacity building activities. The Swiss Embassy stands ready to receive and discuss interesting ideas or to learn about existing cooperation: [email protected]
Trade Officer�s business trips to Lagos
On two occasions since the beginning of the year, our Trade Officer, Mr. Okokon Odiongenyi, visited Lagos to hold meetings with companies and to represent the Embassy at different business-related events. While attending a conference on �Commodities in 2011� organised by the Swiss bank UBS on February 3, our Trade Officer also held fruitful meetings with Deeno Group, Firmenich, Givaudan, and Novartis. On a second visit to Lagos on March 24 to attend the 8th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian-Swiss Chamber Of Commerce, Mr. Odiongenyi also met with some Nigerian companies on behalf of a Swiss pro-ducer of scratch-off labels. During this visit, he also paid courtesy calls on the Regional Centre for Interna-tional Commercial Arbitration, as well as Fagbadex Global Services, a Nigerian credit reporting firm.
As we are no longer directly present in Lagos, Nigeria�s commercial capital, these trips provide useful opportunities to foster commercial and institutional relationships, engage with companies within our network, seek partners for our events and, in some cases, prospect for business opportunities on the behest of Swiss companies.
Latest �Business meets Politics� Forum
In collaboration with the Ikwueto Law Firm, the Embassy hosted the �Business meets Politics� Forum on March 16 at the Transorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. For this Forum, the first in 2011, the focus was on �Arbitration as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Option for Business Operators in Nigeria�. The two speakers � Mrs. Dorothy Ufot SAN and Prof. Paul Idornigie � both have a wealth of experience in commercial arbitration, and after their engaging presentations, responded to series of questions from the audience. The Forum attracted about 80 guests, including diplomats, lawyers and businessmen.
We are most grateful to our partners, to both speakers at the Forum, and to all of you who attended. Our intention is to host the �Business meets Politics� Forum every quarter in 2011, one of which will be held in Lagos.
