The Consul General of Germany in Lagos, Mr Daniel Krull, has announced that Germany is seeking to deepen economic and development cooperation with Nigeria through stronger business partnerships, vocational training, and private sector investments.
German-Nigeria Business Day Event
Krull made this statement during the German-Nigeria Business Day event held in Lagos, which preceded bilateral development cooperation negotiations scheduled in Abuja between officials from both countries.
According to Krull, Germany provides development aid to Nigeria every two years through agreements negotiated by the ministries of both nations. He noted that the latest round of talks would focus on expanding cooperation in critical sectors.
Key Areas of Cooperation
He emphasized that both countries could benefit from stronger partnerships in energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, health, construction, digitalisation, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Krull highlighted that German companies are already supporting skills development in Nigeria. He cited Siemens Energy's investment in vocational training for Nigeria's energy sector, explaining that the initiative is matched with funding from the German government to help scale private sector-driven programmes to meet local needs.
SAP Training Programme
He also highlighted efforts by SAP to provide certified information technology training for one million Nigerian students, aimed at improving employability and supporting regional trade platforms across Africa. According to him, certification and feedback systems have been integrated into the programme to monitor the success of the training, while SAP's global IT infrastructure could open significant employment opportunities for trained Nigerians.
Challenges and Optimism
Krull acknowledged that businesses investing in Nigeria face challenges, particularly bureaucracy and customs-related bottlenecks, but noted that such issues are not unique to Nigeria and are common across many global markets. Despite the challenges, he said he remained optimistic about Nigeria's economic potential, describing the country as energetic and entrepreneurial. He also pointed to similarities between Germans and Nigerians, especially in their directness and openness in communication.
Business Engagements
Vice President, German Business | ImpactConnect, Volker Schwab, said the bilateral negotiations in Abuja were designed to combine political discussions with business engagements to improve trade relations between both countries. Schwab explained that the German-Nigerian business day featured panel discussions, breakout sessions, and official speeches focused on strengthening commercial ties and creating opportunities for investors.
Access Bank Partnership
He announced a partnership between Access Bank and the Berlin Development Bank, which includes the establishment of a German Desk at Access Bank to support German businesses operating in Nigeria. According to him, the desk would help bridge communication and cultural gaps for German companies seeking to do business in Nigeria, adding that the initiative is being promoted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Schwab identified skills shortages and high capital costs as major constraints for businesses in Nigeria, noting that financing remains expensive and continues to affect business transactions and investment growth.
