At least 15 Danish companies signed agreements with Nigerian investors on Monday in possible hopes of doing business in Nigeria, targeting the food and agriculture sector.
The firms deal in logistics and cold chain; breeding and genetics; agro-industry inputs and equipment; ingredients and drinks; food and grain analysis and equipment; seed processing and grain logistic; and agriculture financing.
The firms are part of a trade delegation led by Esben Lunde Larsen, the Danish minister for environment and food, to a symposium in Abuja.
Danish ministerial visits to Nigeria over the past year underlines “broad spectrum of common issues and areas for cooperation between our two countries,” said Danish ambassador Torben Gettermann.
“The clear signs that Nigeria is on its way towards renewed economic growth carries with them the potential for broadening and increasing our commercial relations,” Gettermann said.
Among the firms looking to deepen ties with Nigeria, DanBred International specializes in porcine genetics—breeding pork stock and semen for improved and sustained production.
Porcine genetics has helped breeders develop sows capable of littering 40 piglets a year.
With a population of 5 million, Denmark pig industry turns out 30 million pigs for the market each year, most of it for export, said Morten Wagner, consultant for DanBred in West Africa.
“It is not only to benefit the farmers, but also the end product quality…and to benefit the whole value chain,” said Wagner.
“In the whole West Africa, the pig production is coming up now. We see the potential of pig production for those who want to go into that and we can help them do it.”
By Judd-Leonard Okafor
Daily Trust News
