Vietnam and Nigeria discussed how to further promote economic, trade and investment cooperation and technology transfer between the two countries at a workshop in Da Nang city on Dec. 11.

Nigerian charge d’affaires Sani Bako said that opportunities for investment and business cooperation between Nigeria and Vietnam are huge but the results have failed to meet the two countries’ potentials mainly due to the lack of information and understanding between the two countries’ business communities and restricted trade promotion work.

He also attributed the situation to businesses’ inactive participation in international exhibitions and fairs held in both countries.

The Nigerian diplomat suggested both countries look into new key areas such as oil and gas, minerals, construction, power, agriculture, cement production, transport and telecommunications.

He expressed his hope for the opening of a direct air route between Vietnam and Nigeria to facilitate bilateral cooperation.

Nigeria has the biggest population and the largest oil reserves in Africa . It imports between 1.5-1.7 million tonnes of rice each year.

Vietnam has started exporting garment and apparels, computers, electronic and pharmaceutical products, plastics, motorbike and automobile accessories to Nigeria since 1995. The Southeast Asian nation has begun to import cashew nuts, cotton and timbre from the African nation since 1998./.