NIGERIA-MALAYSIA TRADE SET TO IMPROVE FURTHER

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- After registering a 10-fold trade surge
over the last three years, commercial exchanges between Malaysia and Nigeria, is
set to improve further.

This follows the visit by more Malaysian businessmen to Nigeria in search of
opportunities.

"We welcome Malaysian businessmen with open arms as we find them to
be very resourceful, honest, hardworking and innovative," said the
Nigeria-Malaysia Business Council president Larry Segun-Lean when met by Bernama
on the sidelines of the Developing Eight (D8) Ministers' Meeting on Food
Security, here Thursday.

Apart from Malaysia and Nigeria, other countries that comprise the D-8 are
Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Egypt.

Malaysia-Nigeria trade surged from US$5 million in 2005 to US$50 million
last year. Nigeria's imports included electrical and electronic goods, cars and
services.

Larry attributed the increase in trade to the setting up of the joint
business council in 2006 which had greatly facilitated commercial activities
between both countries.

Nigeria has a population of 150 million and an almost 300,000sq km of
fertile, arable land.

He said the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA), with its vast
expertise in managing oil palm estates, could open such plantations in Nigeria
for mutual benefit.

Larry said Nigeria was also seeking expertise in engineering, particularly
in the field of housing development, roads, bridges, dams and other
infrastructure development.

He said Malaysian investors and entrepreneurs should take full advantage
of his country's vast land bank, human resources,good climate and stable
government to expand their business.

--BERNAMA