The ‘Economic Enhancement Program Forum’ organised by Nigerians in Diaspora Organization at the La Cigale Hotel in Doha on Friday. PicS by: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Nigerians in Diaspora Organization, Qatar Chapter (NIDO-Qatar) in collaboration with Nigerian embassy organized recently an ‘Economic Enhancement Program’ forum.
“The event aims to encourage Nigerians for two things: first is to show community members existing opportunity of business and investment in Qatar, and second inform them about opportunities of investment in Nigeria,” Victor Ikoli, NIDO- Qatar president said.
He also said that the organisation makes community members think about investing back home in Nigeria as there are many opportunities in services, agriculture and real estate sectors. “This forum also contributes in the development of the Qatar as it discusses ways of supporting the community to contribute in Qatar’s economy.”
The forum was held at La Cigale Hotel on Friday in the presence of over 200 people. NIDO-Qatar also invited guests form the Ministry of Interior, Qatar Financial Center, Qatar Chamber and NIDO Europe who highlighted a number of facts and figures which encouraged Nigerian businessmen to invest in Qatar and also highlighted the facilities Qatar is offering to expats and foreign investors.
Ikoli thanked Qatar Financial Centre to make this initiative possible. “We requested officials from these government entities to explain to businessmen how to invest and to do business in Qatar like business registration, license for business and other related procedures.”
Victor Ikoli.
In his speech, Ikoli asked Qatar Nigerian Business Council (QNBC) to do more and guide Nigerian companies for opening businesses in Qatar. “QNBC should bring people from Nigeria to Qatar and take people from Qatar to Nigeria because there are many investment opportunities in Nigeria and there are many people interested to invest in Nigeria. NIDO is playing its due role but the Council is more qualified to perform this job,” he added.
“It is the first time that we organized such an event but hope that now it will be held on annual basis. It is being organised to help businessmen from both countries and bridge the gap. The purpose of holding the forum is to share information on how to do business in Qatar and Nigeria,” said Oladayo Olayiwola, vice president of NIDO-Qatar while talking to The Peninsula.
He added: “We were planning to invite some guests from Nigerian but due to current situation in Nigerian we could not do that. Elections are being held in Nigeria next week and all government departments are busy in them. We also planning to organize another activity for Nigerian community but I can not share more information about it before all plans get finalised.”
About Nigerian community life in Qatar, Omogiate Precious Osagiemoangbon, NIDO’s Social Secretary said: “The Nigerian community is very active with over 10,000 people according to the last statistics. It is very vibrant, socially active, and has presence in different professions,” he added.
Omogiate Precious Osagiemoangbon.
“They are working in different sectors especially safety sector, engineering sector, medical sector, aviation and many other sectors”, he said.
About the events they organise for the community, Osagiemoangbon said: “Annually, we are organizing many activities in sports, culture and other academic events. Whenever there is any cultural activity being organized by the embassy we participate in it. We also keenly participate in all festivities in Qatar in order to show Nigerian traditions, heritage, fashion, music and food.”
On life in Qatar, he said he always felt like living in his home country. “The diversity of the country is somehow similar to the diversity in Nigeria because in Nigeria there are 50 languages and we live together.”
