Guinea’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Siaka Cissoko, has urged Nigerian businesses and investors to participate in a major $20 billion development project currently happening in his country, highlighting the significant potential for cross-border collaboration.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) to the Guinean Embassy in Abuja, Cissoko described the project as a multibillion-dollar opportunity ripe for Nigerian involvement.
“As I speak to you, there is an ongoing mega multibillion-dollar project in Guinea, about $20bn that could be handled by Nigerian companies,” the ambassador said.
He praised the longstanding relationship between Guinea and Nigeria, expressing optimism that stronger partnerships and increased information sharing would allow Nigerian investors to tap into emerging opportunities in Guinea.
Cissoko lamented that Guinean entrepreneurs often seek out smaller-scale deals in Asia, unaware of the equally viable prospects available in Nigeria. “Our businessmen always go to India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries to look for $5m to $10m business opportunities that could be gotten in Nigeria because they don’t have comprehensive information,” he explained.
He stressed the need to deepen bilateral ties, noting that DICAN’s role in disseminating accurate information would be instrumental in fostering mutual understanding. “Most of our people in Guinea build their opinion of Nigeria based on the Nollywood movies they are exposed to, but with this partnership, they will get to know more positive things about the country,” he said.
The ambassador also highlighted areas for potential collaboration, particularly in the mining sector, given both countries’ abundance of natural resources. He reiterated Guinea’s willingness to partner with DICAN on various fronts, including information exchange, capacity-building, and charitable initiatives.
In response, DICAN Chairman Fredrick Idehai expressed the association’s readiness to work closely with the Guinean Embassy to promote investment and development. “DICAN is ready to share information on their business investments and development as part of the partnership,” he stated.
He further assured the embassy of DICAN’s professionalism and support. “We will be available to support the embassy at all times. DICAN don’t play politics as they are professionals that keep to the ethics of its practice,” Idehai said.
