Canada pledges support for Nigeria’s economic reforms
The Acting Senior Trade Commissioner, Deputy High Commission of Canada, Dindembolo-Zaya Kuyena, at the weekend, said the government of Canada would deepen its support to the government of Nigeria as it moves to steer the economy on the right path.
Speaking at a ceremony between a Canadian company, SpeechLogix, and MTN Nigeria at the telecom company’s head office in Lagos, he said Nigeria is the most important partner of Canada, adding that the diversification policy of the Federal Government aligned with that of Canada.According to him, the Canadian authority would work hard on collaboration to improve market access.
He said Nigeria is the largest African foreign investor in Canada, putting total investment in the country at $1.7 billion as of 2021.The partnership between the Canadian firm and the Nigerian carrier was designed to deliver a video conferencing platform for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) called Meetings+ which leverages Zoom technology.
According to Kuyena, Canada has been collaborating with Nigeria on trade policy, including negotiation and agreements, to enhance market access and investment flow. He, however, noted that Canadian direct investment in Nigeria is still less than $500 million and the government is working hard to improve the trade imbalance.He said the partnership between them is backed by the Canadian government to strengthen trade between the two countries.
He said: “Without a doubt, Nigeria is one of Canada’s most important economic partners in Africa promoting trading investment from relationships between itself and Canada.‘’In 2002, Nigeria became Canada’s second-largest trading partner in Africa with $2.2 billion in bilateral Merchants trade.’’
Nigeria is also the largest African foreign investor in Canada with $1.7 billion from 2021 data. Canadian direct investment in Nigeria is estimated at approximately just under $500million and I am pushing for that to increase over the coming years
Nigeria’s economic diversification policy aligns well with that of Canada, and it’s important to note that it was mentioned in terms of your SME (small medium enterprises) landscape.’’Acknowledging the strength of SMEs in Nigeria which makes up over 60 per cent of businesses, he said this is also very similar to the Canadian economic landscape, which is why the alignment and partnership are very important to Canada.The solution, aptly titled Meetings+, enables SMEs to efficiently conduct uninterrupted virtual meetings and other engagements. It also offers affordable daily, weekly, and monthly subscription plans bundled with mobile data.
Speaking on the solution, General Manager, MTN Business, Charles Okonkwo, said: “Meetings+ is a gateway to a more connected and prosperous future for Nigerian businesses. This partnership with SpeechLogix and Zoom emerged from a shared commitment to tackle the challenge of US$ payment constraints and offer flexible packages for short and ad-hoc engagements. Now, users can easily and more conveniently pay for online engagements or meetings in Naira, subscribing to short sessions, with a bundled data allowance for meetings. This is a revolutionary way to conduct business and drive efficiency, increase accessibility, and foster progress and we are here to enable businesses to adapt seamlessly to the future!”
Also speaking on the occasion, Head of Global Sales, SpeechLogix, Haitham El-Hanafi, said: “SpeechLogix and Zoom teamed up to bring a platform that is designed to help operators boost their revenue, the Zoom video technology and the SpeechLogix innovative modules combine a truly all-in-one platform that is deployed in less than 60-days.”A user-friendly, reliable, and innovative unified communications platform, Meetings+ seamlessly integrates video, voice, and chat features across all devices, from desktops and phones to conference room systems, leveraging Zoom’s technology and MTN’s robust network.
With Meetings+, users can pay in Naira through MoMo or via the MyMTN NG app and gain benefits that go beyond just attending meetings to enjoying optimized workforce productivity, increased team connections and achieving more. This powerful combination enables businesses to unlock efficiencies, automate processes, and optimize operations, driving innovation and productivity to new heights.This strategic alliance with SpeechLogix and Zoom underscores MTN’s commitment to redefining the traditional business landscape and advancing its journey from a Telco to a TechCo and aligns with MTN’s ambition to lead in the digital transformation of businesses, particularly SMEs.
