Indonesia signs pact with Nigeria on aircraft maintenance, operation
Indonesian airliner, GMF Aeroasia and Industry has signed a pact with five Nigerian airliners on maintenance and operation, a deal which formed one the highlights of the Nigerian - Indonesian business forum organized by the two countries to strengthen their bilateral ties recently in Abuja.
The aircraft contract terms with the Indonesian company include short and long term aircraft maintenance and operation with Nigerian Kabo Air; Silverback Africa; Hak Air; Max Air Limited and Service Air limited.
Speaking on the pact, the Minister of Trade, Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Sudirman Haseng said the business forum was focused on strengthening trade and investment links between Nigeria and Indonesia- two key, emerging growth markets that both symbolize the new dynamic in global trade and investment.
He said that the forum was timely in that it took place when governments across the world are exploring new ways to stimulate growth, job-creation and trade-led inclusive development, saying that it is useful for both countries to understand why it is important to continue building trade and investment bridges between the growth markets of Nigeria and Indonesian.
''With the ongoing euro-zone uncertainty and faltering economic growth in other developed economies, it has become clear that the drivers of global economic growth are to be increasingly found in the emerging, growth markets of the south.
''Looking in the future, we need to understand that from a global perspective, Nigeria and Indonesia, along with other growth markets of the south, will continue to gain in importance by reversing the 60 per cent contribution to global GDP by the developed nations in two decades,'' he said.
With over $8.92 billion inflow of Foreign Direct Investment, FDI into Nigeria in 2011, which accounted for over one fifth of all inflows to the continent and the sudden rise of Nigeria from 32 to 23 position in global ranking of FDI attraction index in 2012, Haseng said there was no doubt that Nigeria with a population of 170 million and $412 billion GDP will be a key player in the emerging world economy.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian trade minister also indicated the interest of the country to open a direct flight to Nigeria.