By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has assured the Swiss Parliament that Nigeria is ready to engage the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in ways that will transcend mere trade.
Akpabio spoke while receiving in the audience a delegation of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) of the Swiss Federal Assembly.
Mr Thomas Aeshi, Chairman of the National Councillor, Swiss People’s Party, led the delegation to the Office of the Senate President.
Akpabio said, “Today, we stand at a pivotal moment brimming with opportunity and the promise of a partnership that can shape the destinies of not just our nations but our posterity.
“A Swiss proverb says, ‘When there is unity, mountains can be moved.’ It is a sentiment that resonates deeply with us as Nigerians, for we, too, understand that progress is built on unity, collaboration, and shared purpose.
“Today, as representatives of our nations, we are the stewards of that unity, and we can move mountains. Switzerland, and indeed the European Free Trade Association, has long been a beacon of ingenuity and perseverance.
“Your work advancing free trade and fostering economic cooperation has set a standard for what nations can achieve when they focus not on their divisions but on their commonalities.
“Our two nations, Nigeria and Switzerland, have already shared moments of profound partnership. One such moment was the historic agreement in 2017 when Switzerland returned $321m in recovered funds to Nigeria—a gesture that strengthened the bonds of trust between our countries and set a global example of accountability and mutual respect.
“It proved that the world becomes better when nations act with integrity and in the spirit of justice. Now, we can write the next chapter of our shared history. Nigeria, the most prominent African economy and a proud African Continental Free Trade Area member, stands ready to engage with EFTA in ways that will transcend mere trade.
“We envision partnerships to ignite innovation, diversify our economy, and create future generation opportunities. Picture, if you will, a Nigeria where Swiss expertise in precision engineering enhances our manufacturing sector, our agricultural wealth finds new markets in EFTA nations, and our shared commitment to sustainability drives forward-thinking solutions for energy and the environment.
“These are not dreams—they can be the fruits of our bold action if we plant the seeds here, TodayToday. Nigeria’s economy is on a transformative journey under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu. With bold reforms such as removing fuel subsidies and unifying the naira exchange rate, the government has taken decisive steps to stabilize the economy and attract foreign direct investment.”
Speaking earlier, the delegation leader, Mr Thomas Aeshi, said the visit was to explore ways to deepen economic partnership with Nigeria and identify new areas for collaboration.
“While EFTA does not yet have a formal trade negotiation process with Nigeria in place, we are here to lay the groundwork for future possibilities,” Aeshi said.
The EFTA is an intergovernmental organisation comprising Switzerland, Iceland,
Norway and Liechtenstein are dedicated to promoting free trade and fostering economic cooperation with countries outside the European Union.
