H.E. Mr. Felix Yusufu Pwol:

Relations have been strengthened in the almost three years I have been here. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Joe Costello, has been to Nigeria twice. Last year he went with a trade delegation comprising 17 companies. We also see increasing co-operation in the memorandum of understanding signed with University College Cork. I was able to organise a visit to Nigeria where those who travelled met the presidents of approximately ten universities to discuss collaboration in teaching, research and student exchange programmes. I also initiated a similar programme in Waterford Institute of Technology, and people from there also went to Nigeria and met the presidents of approximately 12 polytechnics. As a result of this visit, two memorandums of understanding have been signed, with Federal Polytechnic Oko and Yaba College of Technology, which is our oldest college of technology.

Irish companies such as Diageo, and previously Guinness, have traditionally been in Nigeria, and the construction company PW has been there for almost 40 years. Other construction companies such as McNamara Construction are moving into Nigeria. Glanbia and PZ Cussons are working together in Nigeria on dairy production. We are examining the area of agriculture, particularly fisheries. I was in Donegal five weeks ago and Premier Fish has been investing much in Nigeria. This is an area we want to examine.

I forgot to mention education and e-learning. We are trying to implement best practice in education. I mentioned the challenge we have in third level education, and we believe that if we put in place a mechanism for e-learning it would help a great deal.

We have challenges in other areas such as infrastructure, including boat transportation, and aviation, particularly leasing aircraft. At present we are modernising 22 airports and we believe the Irish will help us. We also face a big challenge with energy. Last year a delegation came and had very good discussions and site visits. I cannot remember which body was involved.

Relations are moving in the right direction. I could not quite achieve an exchange of visits between the two Parliaments, which I think we need to work on, and I hope my successor will take it up. The lower chamber of the Nigerian Parliament has 360 members and there are 109 senators in the other chamber. The only presidential visit between the two countries was in June 2002. I had hoped the foreign minister would go but I could not find a suitable time; Ireland chaired the OSCE in 2012 and during the first half of last year it held the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, which made it difficult. We hope, towards the end of the year or early in the new year, to have an official ministerial summit-level visit. It is interesting that we are seeing increased interest in trade from both Ireland and Nigeria.