AVN Report
ISLAMABAD: A farewell reception was hosted by Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), in honour of Muhammad Bello Abioye, the outgoing High Commissioner of Nigeria to Pakistan.
The event, held at the Commissioner’s residence, saw the presence of various ambassadors from countries such as Morocco, Ethiopia, Algeria, Somalia, and Mauritius, alongside distinguished personalities including Director General of Foreign Affairs Shahid Ali Bhutto and Asif Luqman Qazi.
Addressing the gathering, Nigerian Commissioner Muhammad Bello Abioye emphasized the growing importance of Africa as a key trade partner, encouraging Pakistan to enhance its engagement with Nigeria.
Highlighting the potential benefits of direct flights between the two countries, he underscored the scope for substantial growth in bilateral trade. Abioye emphasised the need for collaborative efforts in sectors such as transportation, tourism, and commerce and industry.
The envoy said that during his tenure, he facilitated the exchange of information, improved business-to-business meetings, and streamlined the visa application process to support entrepreneurs, ensuring these were processed within 48 hours.
Expressing gratitude to the ICCI president and Zafar Bakhtawari, Secretary General UBG Pakistan, for hosting the reception, Abioye affirmed his commitment to furthering Pakistan’s interests even in his future endeavors.
The ICCI president stressed the need for a significant boost in bilateral trade between Pakistan and Nigeria, to increase it to at least US$3 billion from current US$114 million, given the substantial untapped potential, yielding mutual benefits for both nations.
Bakhtawari highlighted the diverse range of products Pakistan can export to Nigeria and other African countries, including textiles, rice, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, electrical appliances, processed food, cosmetics, beauty products, leather goods, IT products, and financial services.
He commended Muhammad Bello Abioye’s contributions as the Nigerian HC and expressed optimism that he would continue to champion Pakistan’s business interests in his future endeavors as well.
